Sometimes Love Can Survive It All
by angelchild
Summary: A story examining the friendship and romance of Soda and Alice from 1954 until the mid 1970s. From best friends, to dating, to stupid teenage decisions and going off to war, sometimes love can survive it all.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - So, I'm doing something I swore I'd never do again...posting an unfinished story. I have about 50pgs. written that I am very happy with, however I'm looking for a little motivation. Maybe you can be it?**

**Disclaimer - I do not own the outsiders, just some gross trapeze grips and a whole teams worth of high school baseball uniforms. Sue and you'll get the honor of doing their laundry...**

Chapter 1 - At the Beginning

We were strangers, starting out on a journey

Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through

Now here we are, Im suddenly standing

At the beginning with you

No one told me I was going to find you

Unexpected, what you did to my heart

When I lost hope, you were there to remind me

This is the start

I may not have realized it for what it was, but Sodapop Curtis and I had fallen in love the first time we met, well for me it was the first time that we met. Soda swears he had fallen in love with me before that having seen me from across the school yard. However it wasn't until many years later that we came to recognize our friendship for what it really was.

Our story starts in elementary school, in the 4th grade to be exact. Long before we truly understood the differences between greasers and socs, the differences between us...long before I had met the Curtis boys and their friends, long before those boys became orphans.

It all started one fall day at school when Randy had pushed me down into a mud puddle. I had been mad, but, like a good girl in 1954 I didn't say anything, didn't do anything, I simply went inside said I'd fallen and asked to go home to change.

I lived in a nice little house on the "right" side of town, I knew my mother would be home with my two younger siblings (Amanda was 5 and Michael was 6 months) so I went straight home, fuming mad.

"Mom!"

"Alice! What in the world are you doing home from school?" My mother asked as she came down the stairs with the baby in her arms "Oh...did you fall in the mud hunny?"

"No! I got shoved by that horrible boy Randy!"

My mother laughed at my anger "Oh hunny, I'm sure that he didn't mean to make you so upset! I bet he just likes you! Come on let's get you cleaned up and back to school."

"Likes me! Why in the world would he be so mean to me if he liked me?"

"Well, sweetheart" my mother began as we went into my room and she handed me another school dress "boys mature a lot slower then girls do, they do really silly things to show girls how they feel about them. You'll see as you get older." She ran a brush through my hair and straightened my bow "There you go, all better!"

"I wanted to hit him" I said quietly looking at my feet. "I hope he dons't like me, I HATE him!"

"Now Alice, you must never hate someone, that is a very strong and ugly word. Secondly, his parents are very good friends with your father and I so you will be nice to him, not only because of that but because a young lady never engages in violence. Do you understand me?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Good, now how about you get back to school before the lunch bell rings?"

"Ok"

My mother kissed me on the forehead and saw me to the door.

**A/N - The song is "At the Beginning" by Donna Lewis.**


	2. Chapter 2 American Honey

**A/N - So I noticed a lot of people read and no one reviewed...means one of two things. It was crap, or it was way way to short to bother with. I'm going to go glass half full today and believe it was the later. Heres a longer section, if you like it and want more, review! If you hate it and want me to quit being an optimist might as well tell me that as well.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own the Outsiders, if I did then maybe Soda would do the baseball teams laundry...if only I could convince him...**

Chapter 2 - American Honey

There's a wild, wild whisper

Blowing in the wind

Calling out my name like a long lost friend

Oh I miss those days as the years go by

Oh nothing's sweeter than summer time

And American honey

The next day during recess Randy came over to me again.

"Hey Alice, I'm really sorry about yesterday."

"No your not! My mother called yours last night and you got in trouble! "

Randy looked at me darkly "Your right, I'm not sorry. I got grounded and a whooping from my old man last night thanks to you!" With that he pushed me down again.

Much to Randy's surprise however, this time I came up swinging. I had a brother, Matthew who at the ripe old age of 12 enjoyed getting in fights. I had watched these enough to know the basics. My fist connected solidly with his nose and I couldn't contain my shock at the blood that came gushing out.

I had my second shock of the day when I felt someone grab my wrist from behind. I looked behind me to see Mrs. Kramer who was not a day over 200 holding me tightly by the wrist. "With me young lady, now." with that I was dragged straight to the principal's office where my mother was called and I received the verbal lashing of my young life.

I also had detention after school for the next week. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit embarrassed by that...no girl I knew had ever had detention! Only the bad boys got detention...my mother said I was lucky that was all I got.

xxx

The next day I reported after school to my very first day of detention. I handed my slip to Mr. Haynes who pointed lazily to a chair in the back. I quickly went to the chair and sat down, already annoyed that I couldn't do anything for the next hour.

After the first 15min Mr. Haynes got up from the desk and walked out without saying a word, just walked out! Do teachers really do that?

For the first time since entering the room I looked up from my hands on my desk and looked around. There was only one other student in the room, I had seen him around school and he always had a goofy smile on his face and looked so happy, but right now all his attention was focused on me.

"Hi"

"I...um...don't think we're supposed to talk in here" I stammered quietly.

"It's ok, Mr. Haynes will be gone for at least the next 10 minutes, always is."

"Oh...so your in here a lot?"

"At least once a week" He answered with a big grin.

"For what! How could you be bad that often!"

"I'm not bad...I just like to make people laugh...and the teachers don't always appreciate that."

"Oh"

"But hey! I know why your in here! You punched that dirty soc Randy in the nose the other day! I've never seen a girl fight before, that was pretty tuff"

"I didn't fight him! I just...hit him once...and made him bleed" I couldn't help but smile as I added that last bit.

"Well, it was still pretty tuff. I'm Sodapop Curtis, but you can call me Soda" He said coming over to sit in the desk beside me.

"I'm Alice Mead" I couldn't help but return his big smile, he seemed like a much nicer person then Randy, and as far as I knew Randy had never had detention before!

Before anything else could be said Mr. Haynes returned to the room. He didn't even seem to notice that Soda had moved his seat next to mine. "Alright detention is over, Ms. Mead I will see you again tomorrow, Mr. Curtis, let's try and make it till the end of the week without another detention shall we?"

"Yes sir" we answered in unison as we collected our things and quickly exited the school building.

"Here" Soda said as we made it to the sidewalk outside "let me carry your bag for you."

"No, that's ok, I'm used to it"

"What am I thinking, your one tuff chic who dons't need to be taken care of huh?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the description of myself as a "tuff chic" "Ya, I guess I am."

"Can I at least walk home with you?" He asked with a grin.

"Sure, I live over on Pinedale Rd."

"Oh...I...um...I live over on Decater St. That's the other side of town." For the very first time, at 10 years old where I lived was making someone nervous. Usually people liked where I lived, it was quiet and safe, lots of trees and cute little houses like mine. I had never heard of Decater St. but I got the feeling that Soda was embarrassed.

"Oh, well, don't worry about it, I don't want you to be late for dinner or anything."

"No, I don't mind, I'll walk you home" He looked as if he had made up his mind.

I smiled at him and we began to walk. As we walked we talked about the things that 4th graders do, Saturday morning cartoons, teachers, our families, and what we were hoping to get for christmas that year.

Suddenly, as we neared my street I heard my name being yelled from behind us "Alice, Alice, wait!"

I turned to see my brother Matthew coming down the street behind us, looking pretty angry as he huffed towards us. "Alice! What are you doing with this grease!" He grabbed me by the shoulder and moved me forcefully away from Soda's side, putting himself between us.

"Ow, Matthew that hurts! Soda was just making sure that I got home ok after detention." My brother turned to face Soda.

"Thanks for making sure she got home alright, you better get home, its getting late grease, and you wouldn't want to be caught in the wrong neighborhoods now would you?" I saw Soda's shoulders slump a bit as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Ya, I better be going. Night Alice"

"Night Soda, thank you"

"Oh, and Curtis, don't let me catch you even thinking about my sister again, got it?"

Soda nodded his head and walked away. "Come on sis, I think it's time you and I had a talk about who it's ok to hang out with." Matthew slung an arm over my shoulder and led me to the tree house in the back yard.

xxx

**A/N - The song is "American Honey" by Lady Antebellum. **


	3. Chapter 3 Huckleberry

**A/N - So, if you are bothering to read this you have noticed that I have a tendency towards short chapters, I do promise that it gets better as the story goes on. The setup is almost over I swear! Please leave some reviews even just a quick word, let me know it's worth the effort!**

Baby I'll be your Huckleberry, you don't have to double dare me

If the storm gets wild and scary count on me to be right there

You're so extra ordinary sweet like maraschino cherries

We'll grow up and we'll get married

I'm gonna be your Huckleberry

An hour later we headed into the house for dinner, my conversation with Matthew had given me a lot to think about...and none of it really made me think that well of my brother. Socs and Greasers? That was the stupidest thing I had ever heard! I knew some people had more money then us and I knew people had less money then we had...but why did it matter so much?

The next day at school I reported to detention and took my seat in the back of the very empty room. A moment later the door opened again and in walked Sodapop Curtis, detention slip in hand. Mr. Haynes gave a big sigh and pointed to chair in the back of the room, as far away from me as possible. I put my head down and looked at my hands as Soda walked by.

About 10 minutes later Mr. Haynes got up and left the room without a word. Soda immediately came to sit by me.

"What are you doing in here? I thought you told Mr. Haynes yesterday that you were going to be good for the rest of the week."

"Well...the classroom frog really wanted to get out of it's tank and stretch! Plus, I thought you might want some company in here...you know...if your still talking to me."

"Why in the world would I not be talking to you?"

"I wasn't sure what your brother said to you yesterday..."

"He said he's in the same grade as your brother Darry."

"Ya, he is, I have a younger brother named Pony too, he's in 1st grade" Soda smiled as he told me, it was obvious he loved his family.

"And...he told me that your poor..." Soda nodded. "and that your Greasers, and that means that your not as good as we are and that we can't be friends." Soda looked so disheartened as I said this, making him feel bad hurt and I didn't like it one bit. "But, I told him that you were a lot nicer to me then Randy, Bob, Cherry, or any of the people _like us_ had ever been, I'd rather have friends that were nice to me." I smiled shyly at him, not sure why I was so embarrassed.

"Really! You'll still be my friend?"

"Of course! Your nice, and funny, and someone needs to keep you out of all this trouble that your getting into."

We smiled at each other, and it was the beginning of an amazing friendship.

**A/N - Song is Huckleberry by Toby Keith. Middle School is up next! Man, those were some awkward years...**


	4. Chapter 4 True Colors

**A/N – In hopes that a longer chapter might win me some reviews…**

**Disclaimer – I don't own the outsiders and am making no money off of this. If you sue I no longer have the baseball uniforms so you're down to getting trapeze grips…**

1958 - 8th grade.

But I see your true colors

Shining through

I see your true colors

And that's why I love you

So don't be afraid to let them show

Your true colors

True colors are beautiful,

Like a rainbow

"Come on Soda, just go with me!" I whined, whining had never gotten me anywhere with these boys, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Please?"

"No, Alice I don't want to go to the stupid dance."

"Why Soda? We're in the 8th grade, we're supposed to go to stupid dances and have fun!"

"I just don't want to go, besides isn't a guy supposed to be asking you? Give it a few more days, I'm sure Bob or Randy or someone will ask you."

"But Soda, I don't want to go with them, sides, this is a Sadie Hawkins dance, the girls are _supposed_ to ask the guys, that's the whole point!"

Soda sighed, "Why in the world would you want to go with me anyways, I can't dance, I'm not friends with the same people you are, and your parents will hate this idea."

"Because this is supposed to be fun Soda, and I want to go and have fun with my best friend, that means you! And who cares what my parents want, they like you, and its not like we're getting married!"

Soda took my hand and looked me right in the eye "Alice, you are my best friend and I love you like a sister, but there is no way in hell that I am taking you to this crummy dance."

"Fine, I get it, your waiting for Sandy to ask you aren't you? She's nothing but a cheap slut, and I hope you two have a great time!" With that I grabbed my book bag and stormed out of Soda's bedroom where we had been doing our homework.

"Alice! Alice! Come on don't be like that." Soda said grabbing my arm in the living and spinning me around to face him, both of us completely oblivious to his brothers and mother sitting in the kitchen listening to every word.

"Don't be like what?"

"Like such a girl!"

"I am a girl you jackass" I yelled as I wrenched my wrist out of his grasp and stalked out of the house. Soda again gave chase.

"Alice, your supposed to stay for dinner, Ma already set a place for you."

"Tell her I'm sorry, but I'm being to much of a girl right now to hang out with her three BOYS!" This time when I turned and huffed away Soda didn't come after me and I was surprised to find that I was a little disappointed...

xxx

I got home that night in a foul mood, but then again I guess I fit right in at my house. My mother had taken to drinking about the time that my father had started going on lots of extended business trips, despite being only 12 I wasn't dumb I knew what he was doing. Add to this the fact that when my father was home he and Matthew ran hot and cold with each other.

Like Soda's brother Darry, Matthew was now 16 and on the football team at the high school where Soda and I would be joining them next year. They had put their differences aside enough to let them play football together, though Matthew still didn't like me hanging around with Soda so much.

Matthew and my father fought a lot, about Matthew's use of the car, the girls he went out with, his grades, anything and everything. Yet, when my father was in a good mood, and my mother wasn't to drunk Matthew was the golden child, the perfect football player. My younger brother and sister were still cute, and worshipped my father, but me? I was the embarrassment, hanging out with people that were below us, so there forth he ignored me it was like I didn't exist.

When I stomped into the house that night and ran upstairs to my room, I was hoping not to be noticed, to not have to walk on eggshells. As my luck would have it though I was only alone in my room for a few minutes before Amanda stuck her head in my room to call me down to dinner.

I wouldn't dare say no, not when my father was home so I got myself up, checked my hair in the mirror and headed downstairs not knowing what I was going to walk into tonight. For once luck was on my side though, when I got to the table everyone was smiling and talking about the big football game that would happen the next night, my brother would be starting so mother and father were in a good mood.

"Alice, what are you doing home? I thought you were staying at the Curtis's for dinner tonight?" My mother asked as we took our seats.

"I decided to come home and have dinner with my family" I shrugged "seemed like a nice thing to do."

"Ya right." my brother smirked, "you and Pop must have had a fight! Good riddance to him!"

"SODA and I didn't have a fight, just a small disagreement, it'll be fine by tomorrow."

"What did you fight about hunny?" My mother asked quietly as she poured herself a glass of wine.

"I asked him to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with me and he won't" I still don't know why I told the truth...

"You asked him to go to the dance with you!" Matthew yelled. "Are you insane? That's like committing social suicide to be seen at a dance with someone like him, good thing he had the good sense to say no. I don't think Darry or the other Greasers would appreciate it very much ether."

I didn't know what to say to that, maybe Matthew had a point. Maybe the time had come that the divide that ran so strong through our town would divide us as well. I knew I didn't care about it hurting my reputation, but I had never given a thought to it hurting Sodas. My only comeback was the classic I don't know what to say response

"Whatever".

Dinner couldn't be over fast enough and I quickly escaped into my bedroom where I tried to figure out where I stood on this whole Soc/Greaser issue. I honestly didn't care about where someone lived, how much money they had, or the way they did their hair for God's sake...but I did care about Soda and about Two-Bit, Steve, Darry, and Pony by extension. Was I causing trouble by being in their lives?

Just as I was trying to decide what to say to Soda the next day at school I heard a light tapping on my window. I sighed, knowing it was Soda, but not knowing what to say. I went to the window and slide it open sitting on the window seat while Soda settled himself on the roof (I wasn't allowed to have boys in my room, and we had long ago decided this was a loophole, lord help us if we ever got caught though).

"Hey" He said a shy smile playing on his lips.

"Hey" I answered, trying hard to give nothing of my thoughts away.

"Look Alice" Soda began with a sigh.

"No, it's ok Soda, you don't have to say anything. I was talking to Matthew about our fight." Soda made a face "and I realize that our being friends can't be easy on you and everyone else. I understand why you need to push me away, and while I'll miss you...I get it." The words came tumbling out quickly as tears welled in my eyes, I couldn't look at him as I said it, staring at my hands.

The next thing I knew Soda had covered my hands with his, I had never noticed how big they had gotten, or the small cuts on his knuckles from working on cars with Steve, the grease caked under his nails.

"Alice, will you just listen to me for a moment?" He looked a little exasperated so I bit my lip and nodded. "You are my best friend, and I never want that to change, ever. You dig?" I nodded. "The reason I didn't want to go to the dance with you was because I was afraid of what your friends would say to you, that it would damage your reputation. But I talked to my brother tonight too, and he made the point that if you were ashamed of me, you wouldn't have asked me to go in the first place."

"Soda, why on earth would I ever be ashamed of you?"

"Because...because I'm a greaser, and I'm poor, because I'm not that smart, and I can't afford to dress as nice as the other guys at the dance...I don't ever want you to be sorry to be seen with me." All this came out in a rush while looking at his hands. It really broke my heart that he felt that way, I had acted like a brat when he wouldn't take me to the dance, and really he had been worried about me, worried that I would be ashamed of him while I had whined like the spoiled child that I was.

I reached out and put my hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at me. "Soda, I hope you know that I don't care about any of that. I hope you know that your my best friend because of who you are, not what you have, and I hope that you know how wonderful and intelligent, and amazing you really are, because I don't think there are enough words in the world for me to explain it to you."

Soda finally smiled at me for the first time that night. Not the shy nervous smile he had given me when I had opened my window, but a big goofy Sodapop Curtis smile, the smile that had drawn me in when we were 10.

"So I was thinking...as long as your ok with the fact that I'm going to be under dressed, and that I'm not going to be able to get you flowers or anything...I'll take you to the dance...you know...if you still want to go with me that is."

I couldn't help the huge smile on me face "I'd really like that Soda, and why would you get me flowers anyways? You're my best friend, not my boyfriend! We're gonna have so much fun!"

After an awkward hug through the window Soda made his way down the tree outside my window and headed home.

**A/N – The song is True Colors by Cyndi Lauper. The next chapter takes us to that oh so wonderful experience, the middle school dance. If I can get 5 reviews for this chapter I will post it tonight or tomorrow since it's a long weekend…push the button…you know you want to…**


	5. Chapter 5 Dancin' Away With My Heart

**A/N – Well, long weekends are the teachers best friend so here is another chapter as promised since we made it to 5 reviews! Any chance of making it to 10 to earn the next one?**

I finally asked you to dance on the last slow song

Beneath that moon that was really a disco ball

I can still feel my head on your shoulder

And hoping that song would never be over

Two weeks later it was Friday night, the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance. Soda was picking me up at my house, and while my father was out of town he would still have to deal with Matthew who I was sure would be worse then my father.

Finding something to wear had been more of a production then it should have been. While I wanted to look nice, I also didn't want to be so dressed up that I made Soda uncomfortable. I had finally settled on a plain red dress, it was fitted on the top and flared out into a great skirt. I added a black belt with a small bow in front, which made my waist look tiny, my mothers diamond studs and a plain silver chain completed my outfit. I left my hair down, long and straight down my back, I hadn't bothered with any more makeup then I would have worn to school, just some eyeliner and mascara. Lastly, I hadn't been able to help myself when my mother had offered to buy me my first pair of black leather kitten heels, I really felt grown up!

It was only been 4 hours between when school let out and 7pm when Soda was supposed to pick me up, but it seemed like days I was so excited! When the doorbell finally rang I fairly flew to open it. But I hadn't been the only one waiting; Matthew had beaten me to the door and was inviting Soda into the house.

I smiled when I saw Soda; he was definitely in his Sunday best, black slacks, a white button down and a red tie (I had made sure he knew what color my dress was). He looked uncomfortable all dressed up and I was pretty sure the last time he had worn any of that was when his Great Uncle Vinny had died last year.

"Hi Soda!"

"Hey Alice." Soda tried to move toward me, but Matthew blocked his way.

"Let's get something straight here grease" Matthew said leaning down and getting in Soda's face. "Alice is my little sister, and if anything that I don't like happens to her tonight you'll be taking it up with me, and there's nothing that Matthews or Randall will be able to do to help you. Got me?" Soda nodded, doing his best to look unruffled in front of my brother. "You have her home by 10 and you don't touch her, understood?"

"Ya, I got you." Soda said, I could tell he was working hard to rein in his anger. While there was not much in this world that could get Soda angry, when he did he was fierce.

"Alright, I think it's time you and I got going!" I said squeezing past my brother to grab Soda by the hand and drag him out the door. Once we were safely outside and the door had been shut behind us I dropped Soda's hand "God, why does he have to be such a bastard all the time?"

"I understand" Soda said carefully "He's your brother, he's just trying to protect you, I would do the same if my sister was going out with someone like me."

"Hey" I said turning to face him. "None of that, please? I just want to have fun tonight. Forget all this greaser soc crap and just be Soda and Alice. Please?"

"Absolutely Ali, anything you want tonight, I promise."

We walked the rest of the way to the dance in companionable silence, smiling at the teacher at the door as we gave her our tickets and made our way inside.

xxx

Inside the dance committee had actually put some effort into making the gym look nice, the band was on the stage and colored crepe paper hung everywhere. It wasn't anything to fancy, but to our 12-year-old selves it didn't look like the same room where we square danced and ran laps.

The band was playing loudly on one side of the gym, covering popular music like Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. "Do you want to dance?" Soda asked, looking as uncomfortable at the thought as I felt.

"Um...maybe in a bit, how about we grab some punch?"

"Sounds good." We headed over to the punch bowel where a teacher was standing monitoring for students like Two-Bit who would try and spike the punch. Soda grabbed us each a cup and we went to sit on the bleachers with some other kids that looked like they had no idea what to do.

"Music's pretty good," I finally said.

"Ya...and the gym looks...well...it looks kinda like crap." We both laughed

"It does doesn't it?" We both began to loosen up, feel a little bit more like us...in nicer clothing. "Kinda like someone put toilet paper everywhere!"

"Come on, I'm bored let's dance" Soda took my cup and put it to the side, dragging me out on the dance floor with a bunch of other couples. As soon as we got out on the floor the song changed from Jerry Lee Lewis's _Great Balls of Fire _to _For Your Precious Love _by Jerry Butler and the Impressions.

As the slow mournful melodies took over both of us were at a loss. We hadn't intended to slow dance, "Um, we can go sit?" Soda asked looking uncomfortable.

"No it's ok, let's dance." I was sounding a whole lot more confident then I felt. We stood there and stared at each other for a moment, both trying to figure out where hands went. Finally Soda put his hands on my waist and I put mine on his shoulders (leaving plenty of room for the Holy Spirit!)

As we moved slowly to the music, I couldn't help but notice for the first time how Soda smelled, like...car grease and cologne, it was nice. Had he always smelled like this? Was this why that trashy Sandy and her friends were always hanging around him? After a beat he lifted his eyes to mine and I couldn't help but notice that his dark brown eyes had subtle flecks of gold in them.

"Hey Ali..." I looked up and smiled at Soda, wondering if he was noticing some of the same things about me right now. "I..."

"What the fuck do you think your doing?" As this was screamed at us I felt someone grab my shoulder from behind and turn me around hard. "Really Alice? Your going to ask this greasy trash to the dance instead of me?" Standing in front of me was a very angry looking Randy, with Bob and Paul standing close behind him smirking.

"Randy, I'm here with Soda, we don't want any trouble tonight, honest" I was practically begging, I had worked so hard to get here with Soda and I didn't want it ruined.

"If you don't want trouble, then come be my date and send the grease on home."

"This is a Sadie Hawkins dance you idiot, the whole point is for the girls to ask the boys, and I didn't ask you!"

"Hey!" Randy said as he grabbed my arm and dragged me up into his face "Don't you dare talk to me like that you little bitch."

Soda suddenly came at Randy from the side and knocked into him hard, causing him to lose his grip on my arm and send me stumbling back. Soda quickly came to check on me, "You all right Ali?" I nodded through the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"You dirty greaser, now you've asked for it." Randy said coming at Soda, Soda quickly put himself between Randy and I, removing his tie as he did so and stuffing it in his pocket. The boys squared up as a crowd began to form around us, where in the world were teachers when you actually wanted one?

"Guys please don't do this!" I said trying to get them to pay attention to me rather then one another. Finally as they moved in towards each other I did the only thing I could think of, I jumped in between them, my only thought being that I didn't want them to fight, not over something so stupid.

Well, what I did was pretty darn stupid though. For a girl that had no real sense of timing, I had managed to time my heroics perfectly with Randy's first punch. Which now connected with my right eye rather then Sodas'.

"Shit" Randy hissed as he realized whom he had hit, and being the brave boy that he was he and his friends quickly ran off into the school.

Soda quickly came over to where I was holding my eye, working really, really hard at not crying. "Come on." He said, putting an arm around me and leading me out of the gym and into the boy's bathroom. After making sure that it was empty Soda locked the door from the inside.

"Let me see." He said quietly, pulling gently at my wrist.

"No"

"No? Why not?"

"Because it hurts!"

"Well of course it hurts! You just took a punch for me, you foolish girl." Well that got me going. I was so mad I dropped my hand and went to yelling at him.

"Foolish girl! Foolish girl! I'm not the one who was trying to fight Randy in the middle of the school dance!"

"I only did that because I was defending you! He kept grabbing you and it was really pissing me off!"

I sighed "I get that Soda, but I'm not that girl that needs protecting, I'm never going to ask that of you, I'm never gonna ask you to put yourself at risk for me."

Soda sighed as well, coming foreword, pulling me into a hug, our foreheads touching "I know, I know, your one tuff chic...just doesn't mean that I have to like it." He kissed me on the forehead. "Now, lets get a look at that eye."

Soda pulled back from me and examined my eye with the experience of someone who had gotten and had seen more then his fair share of black eyes. "Well, he didn't get you to bad, you'll be able to see tomorrow, but you'll have a hell of a shiner for a week or two."

"Great, that's just what I need."

"No kidding, now we have to go explain this to your brother..."

xxx

**A/N – I'm glad my students don't fight at dances…they just mate on the dance floor. The song is Dancing Away With My Heart by Lady Antebellum. Up next will be 10****th**** grade, were we'll see a little more of the original book story line! Remember clicking that pretty little button over there - will get you faster updates!**


	6. Chapter 6 Keep Holding On

**A/N – So…I changed the rating in hopes of getting some more reviews…please? Sounds desperate…but I kinda am! If we can get to 15 I'll put another chapter up this weekend!**

You're not alone

Together we stand

I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand

When it gets cold

And it feels like the end

There's no place to go

You know I won't give in

No I won't give in

1960 - 10th Grade

After the incident at the dance two years earlier I had lost most of my soc friends. Cherry and Marcia were still nice to me, but no one really went out of their way to hang out with me anymore. Honestly though, I was ok with it...real friends loved you despite choices you make, and I had those.

In addition to those amazing friends I had a second set of parents. My father had been spending more and more time out of town, which had increased my mothers drinking quite a bit. So, I more or less lived at the Curtis house, going home to sleep and change clothes. Mrs. Curtis had given birth to 3 boys, but to look at her house you would have thought it was 6 sons and a daughter.

While the Curtis's had no more money then anyone else in their neighborhood, they had more then enough love to go around. Their parents didn't drink; they worked hard and loved their kids (and the strays that their kids brought home).

Soda's other best friend Steve was often at the house now, escaping his own abusive parents, and getting fed as his mother never seemed to have food in the house. Ponyboy was now in the 8th grade, and a real sweet kid, smart, and sensitive...a dreamer. His best friend Johnny also depended on the Curtis parents for love and support, his own parents being drunk and abusive (see a pattern here?).

Lastly was Two-Bit, no one could really remember where he had come from. He had just shown up one day and never left. His own family was a lot like mine, no one ever hit him but they left a lot to be desired. His old man had left town a few years ago and while his mother had a steady bar-tending job she was like my mother and spent her life in the bottle. Didn't leave a lot of time for cooking or cleaning.

The house was always loud, and full of people, but there was always plenty of food on the table and most importantly laughter.

xxx

"Soda, what's the square root of 123?"

"How the hell should I know?" Soda looked as frustrated as I felt. Math was not a strong point for either of us, but at least I did well in the rest of my classes...Soda only did well in gym and auto shop.

"Because we're in the same class!"

"Doesn't mean that I stay awake for it! I hate math, I'm no good at this school thing."

"Alright, let's take a break. Maybe Darry can help us when he gets home from class?" Darry had graduated from high school the year before along with my brother Matthew. They were both playing college ball at University of Oklahoma Tulsa, Darry lived at home to save money, but my brother was living on campus, giving me a little more freedom to do as I pleased.

"Ya...maybe..."

"Come on, let's play anywhere but here." I said climbing on Soda's bed and patting the space beside me.

"You act like we're still 12 Ali Cat" Soda laughed as he came to sit beside me. "Come on" Soda stretched out to his full length on the bed dragging me down with him. I lay down next to him with my head on his shoulder. "You start."

"Hm...if I could be anywhere but here I would be...on a Hawaiian beach, getting a tan and drinking drinks with a little umbrella in them!"

Soda laughed.

"Alright, your turn!"

"Well...if I could be anywhere but here I would be on a Hawaiian beach, getting a tan and drinking a beer."

"That was my answer! You need to come up with your own!" I whined laughing.

"I don't want to go anywhere but Tulsa, so if you go somewhere I'll go there."

"You suck all the fun out of my games!" I pouted.

"I'll give you fun!" Soda jumped up, pinning me beneath him to the bed and tickling me, after almost 7 years as best friends he knew all the spots to hit and he soon had me screaming and begging him to stop.

The door opened suddenly, "Soda, come out in the living room please." Darry turned and left as quickly as he appeared.

Soda collapsed on top of me, "Man, there is no way we were being that damn loud..."

I shoved him off me and onto the floor "Come on, let's just get this over with."

We dragged ourselves into the living room ready to get yelled at for being loud, or fooling around or something. However when we looked into the living room to see Pony crying on the couch, and Darry looking upset we knew it was more then us roughhousing.

"Hey..." Soda said quietly announcing our presence.

Darry came towards us, taking Soda by the shoulders "Soda...I...Mom and Dad...their gone..."

"Wh-what do you mean gone?" Soda stammered. As the realization hit me of what Darry was trying to say tears welled in my eyes.

"There...was a car wreck this afternoon...they died on impact..."

Soda stood still looking at Darry for a moment, without turning he reached back looking for my hand. I quickly stepped foreword taking his hand in mine and holding it tight, both of us needing the physical contact to ground us in the moment. Finally Soda nodded and moved to the couch our fingers still laced together, sitting down next to Pony and wrapping his free arm around him, letting him cry into this shoulder.

Darry, never having been one to be good with emotions moved into the kitchen to deal with his grief while his brothers cried on the couch. I personally had never lost someone before, never experienced death and the emotional numbness that comes with it. I had no idea what to think, what to do, so I just sat there and held Soda's hand.

xxx

The next few days were the hardest of my life, and I still have no idea how Soda and his brothers made it through. The whole gang was devastated, everyone felt like they had lost parents that day and as a group we grieved hard over the love and support that was now missing from our lives.

If it was possible I started spending more time at the Curtis house then I already was. Getting there early in the morning and staying later then was safe, but everyone, soc and greaser alike knew what happened, and granted me safe passage through the neighborhoods.

I took the week off from school with the boys, if nothing else I made sure that they stayed fed, even if they often weren't hungry enough to eat much of it. I still went home to sleep as my mother would have had my hide for staying at their house, but I left each morning as soon as I could.

Coming down the stairs the Friday morning after their passing my mother was standing near the bottom of the stairs. "Where are you going?" She asked quietly. I wasn't sure if this was going to turn into a fight or not, but I wasn't going to lie.

"I'm going to the Curtis's, I'll try and make it home for dinner, I promise."

My mother was quiet a moment "No, that's ok, I think those boys need you more right now then we do here...but will you please take this over for me? My mother held up a box, which contained a large lasagna, apple pie, rolls and my mothers homemade applesauce.

"Wow...mom...thank you so much, this is wonderful"

"It's not much, just what I could put together yesterday...I know you've been trying to keep those boys fed yourself...and I know you were really close to their parents...I thought you might need sometime to not worry about them as much and focus on yourself."

"Ya...I've been hiding in the kitchen cooking most days...I just don't know what to say to make Soda feel better...not that he's going to feel better anytime soon, it's just killing me to see him in so much pain."

My mother reached out and gave me a rare hug "He just needs you to be there for him right now, your doing exactly right. Now, here are the car keys so you don't have to carry all this...I don't want you driving to late though, so try and be home by 11 tonight ok?"

"I will, thanks mom."

When I got to the Curtis's everyone was sitting in front of the TV watching Mickey looking forlorn and so unlike the jovial brothers I was used to.

"Hey guys"

"Hey Ali" came a chorus of responses.

"My, um, mother sent over some food, I'll put it in the fridge ok?" Not knowing what to else to do I disappeared into the kitchen where I unpacked the food into the fridge and then began scrubbing down the counter.

"Ali?"

I turned to see Soda standing in the kitchen door. "What's up?"

"I just...I miss you."

"I've been here everyday Soda."

"But you've been in here, like you've been hiding from all of us or something."

"I guess I kinda have been...I just don't know what to say or do, everyone's so sad and I hate that ya'll are hurting so badly and there's nothing I can do to make it better." As I spoke each word came out faster then the one before it as my eyes welled up with tears that threatened to spill over. I had felt the need to be strong for them all during this week, but had no idea how to do so.

"I...I just need you with me right now Ali Cat, it makes some of the hurt go away." Soda opened his arms up to me and I walked straight into that hug, holding him tightly as we cried together.

A little while later Soda pulled away from the hug and rubbed his red eyes, "I can't do this anymore, let's go out tonight, let's forget about all this for awhile and pretend everything is normal."

"Ok...what do you want to do?" At this point I would have agreed to go to the moon if that was what Soda wanted, I'd try anything to make him smile again.

"You've been begging us for years to take you to a party at Bucks...doesn't seem a much better place then that to forget."

"Alright...my mom wanted me home by eleven because of the car, so I'll have to ask her if I can stay out later..."

"Just ask if you can drop the car off and spend the night here...we'll make up a reason for you to stay."

I wasn't so crazy about the idea of lying to my mother...however there was no way I could tell the truth, and like I said I would do anything to make him happy right now.

"Ok, lemme give her a call."

I dialed our home number and waited while the phone rang "Hello" hiccup

I sighed, I wasn't sure if this would go better or worse with her drunk. "Mom, it's Alice."

"Hi Alice, hiccup what do you want?"

"Um, the boys really need to get out of the house so we were gonna go down to the Nightly Double but we're going to get out really late so I was hoping to drop off the car and then stay the night here...on the coach" I added quickly.

"Keep the car, see you in the morning." click I stared at the phone in disbelief before setting it back in its cradle.

"What'd she say?"

"She said to keep the car...and then she hung up on me..."

Soda smiled, "Looks like we're gonna go to Buck's tonight!"

"As long as Darry says it's ok...he is kinda in charge now..."

"He'll say yes, he went to these all the time when he was our age, sides I don't think he's going to say no to much right now."

**A/N – The song is Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne. So…a party at Bucks? Hope our girl knows how to hold her liquor! Remember pushing that little button to the side gets you another chapter sooner then next Friday!**


	7. Chapter 7 Complicated

I'm so scared that the way that I feel,

Is written all over my face.

When you walk into the room,

I wanna find a hiding place.

We used to laugh, we used to hug, the way that old friends do.

But now, a smile and a touch of your hand,

Just makes me come unglued.

Surprisingly, Soda was right. While Darry didn't look to pleased at the idea, he didn't have much to say about it. I think he was happy to see Soda out of the house, and it gave him some time to himself as Pony was going to bed pretty early these days.

"Am I dressed ok Soda?" I had some clothes stashed at their house for after school and had dug around until I found a pair of tight capri pants and a black halter-top.

"You look fine, Ali, not like this is much of a dress up thing, the girls tend to go pretty trashy." I nodded, pulling my makeup out of my bag and applying it heavier then normal.

"Come on kiddo, let's get going." Soda said holding his hand out to me. I took his hand as we walked out the door and headed down the street to Bucks. Bucks wasn't really a bar or anything...just a decent sized house where the party was going non-stop, they sold booze, and had rooms upstairs for people to...rent.

When we got to the door I stopped and took a deep breath. "You sure about this Ali?" Soda asked turning to face me.

"Yes! It's just something new is all." I answered with more confidence then I felt. Soda took my hand and led me into the smoky dance hall, the music was playing loud, and people were drinking and making out all around us. This definitely was unlike anything I had ever been to.

"Hey Soda" Buck said coming over "I'm sorry to hear about your parents kid, drinks are on me tonight...for both of you." and then he just wandered off, intent on finding something, or someone.

"Wanna beer?" Soda asked pulling me over to the bar.

"Sure"

"2 beers" Soda requested, and he was handed the beers without any word of payment, just like Buck had promised. Soda popped the tops off and handed me one while he chugged the other, I had seen Soda drink before, but never that quickly. "Might as well bottoms up Ali Cat if you have any prayer of keeping up tonight!"

I smiled, figuring what the hell, if we were here to forget, I might as well get obliterated (keep in mind that we're talking about a girl who had never had more then a beer here or there at the Curtis's house when their parents had been out for the night). I downed the beer and accepted the one that Soda pressed into my hand.

I took a few big sips of my new beer and noticed that Soda was already on his third; perhaps it was time to get him away from the bar for a bit.

"Come on Soda, let's dance" I pulled him over to where other couples were dancing to _The Twist_ Soda grabbed my free hand and began to dance, fast to the music twisting lower and lower as the music went. Suddenly Soda grabbed my hip, spinning me around and pulling my back against his chest grinding tightly against me. I was surprised to feel his excitement against my back, and even more surprised to realize that I wasn't horrified. I downed the rest of my beer and took a moment to really find the beat of the music.

A moment later Buck walked by handing us each another beer, I was a lightweight to begin with, and this being my fourth beer I was getting a little unsteady on my feet. Soda on the other hand had a dopy smile on his face and glassy eyes. He had definitely accomplished what he had set out to do, that boy wasn't feeling any pain.

After about half my beer the music changed from the up-tempo beat to _Unchained Melody_ a popular slow song from a few years ago. Soda turned me around to face him and pulled me close, definitely no room for the Holy Spirit this time.

Soda's hands came to rest on my hips, my head on his shoulder as he buried his face in my hair. No matter how much I tried to tell myself that we were best friends, or how much I tried to tell myself that this was because we were both drunk, I couldn't help but like it. I liked being close to him, being able to smell him, to feel the warmth coming off his body.

I pulled back and looked in his eyes, still as pretty as they were that night so long ago in the 8th grade. "Soda..."

"Ya?" He lowered his head to mine, tilting it, our lips just a breath apart.

"Soda..."

"Hm?"

"I'm gonna hurl." I pushed away from him and ran outside, the laughter of the other couples ringing in my ears. I made it to the side of the building before getting sick, doubled over on the sidewalk. Not even a full second behind me was Soda, who grabbed my long hair and rubbed my back as I hurled. I stayed bent over for a few moments after I finished, trying to collect myself...how embarrassing!

"How ya feeling kid?"

"I've been better."

"Come on" Soda said helping me to stand up straight "your drunk, let's get you back to the house."

"I'm drunk? You're drunk too!"

"Ya, but at least I can stand without falling down" Soda wrapped an arm around my waist and we started home. There was a lot of staggering on both our parts that night...maybe a _bit _more on mine, and we stopped once more on the way home for me to be sick, but we finally made it.

"Can we sit outside for awhile? The airs nice" I asked Soda as I sat down on the stairs without waiting for an answer.

"Sure" Soda sat next to me wrapping an arm around me as we sat there.

"Soda?"

"Ya Ali?"

"Were you gonna kiss me tonight?"

Soda sighed, "Ya...I was, and I think this is a conversation that we need to have, but I think we need to wait and have it when we're both sober."

"When did you become such a grown up?" I asked right before I leaned over the porch railing and hurled yet again. "Ya...maybe that's a good idea."

We sat out on the porch until the sun came up and I fell asleep on Soda's shoulder.

xxx

I woke up the next morning (well...more like afternoon) on the Curtis's couch. My shoes were sitting on the floor next to the couch and a blanket had been thrown over me.

As I opened my eyes and let the light in, I immediately squeezed them shut again...a hangover, wonderful. Well, this was my own fault, time to make the best of it and get moving. Besides it was rude to just stay on someone's couch any longer.

I got up and went into the bathroom where I found a old pair of Soda's jeans and one of his flannel shirts. They'd be big, but it would do. Even when drunk that boy always took care of me.

I took a quick shower and put the clean clothes on, praying that the pants would stay up as they hung low on my hips. The shirt smelled like Soda and I couldn't help but inhale it like some love sick girl in a movie.

Moving into the kitchen I found Darry making grilled cheese for him and Pony and I couldn't help but gag a bit at the smell of the melting cheese. Darry laughed at me and handed me a cup of black coffee, "Here, I figured you could use this."

"Thanks, I'm gonna go sit outside ok?"

Darry laughed even harder "Grilled cheese making you sick?" I nodded. "Serves you right, drinking like that last night."

I took my coffee and sat down on the steps leading from the back door into the small fenced in back yard. The sun was bright but it was still better then the smell of food. As I sat there slowly sipping my coffee I thought back over the night before. I was such a fool...I had almost gotten sick on that boy no less then 3 times, tried to kiss my best friend, and then wanted to have a conversation about feelings after all that. I was such a lightweight...

"Hey" I heard quietly from behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Soda.

"Hey" I answered not looking up from my coffee as he came and sat beside me.

"So...last night?"

"Ya?"

"Were you going to kiss me?" He asked with a sly smile, parroting my question from the night before.

"I...yes."

"Ali, we need to talk about this, you're my best friend and I don't want that ruined because we got drunk one night. Just talk to me about this, please?"

"I wanted to Soda...but then I figured that getting sick on you wasn't going to be so attractive..."

"Ya...that would not have been so good...there would have been some major, major groveling going on after that. But seriously Alice, I like you, a lot...I haven't said anything because your my best friend and I don't know what I'd do without you if I had said something and you didn't feel the same. But after last night...I have the feeling that you might feel the same way about me." Soda looked me right in the eyes as he said this, not staring at his hands as he had so many years ago when he asked me if I would still be friends with a greaser.

I smiled back at him. I wasn't sure if we were making a good choice here or not, but it wasn't really a choice, it was just happening. "Are you gonna kiss me or not boy?"

Soda smiled and leaned in towards me, his hand on the back of my neck bringing me closer. "Absolutely."

**A/N – Song is Complicated by Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Sorry that I didn't update on Friday as usual, my students graduated high school, I went to trapeze show and then Saturday…well…Saturday I slept on the couch. Let's see if we can get 15 reviews before next Friday! 20 gets you an early update though!**


	8. Chapter 8 Jesses Girl

**A/N – All right, so as you may or may not have noticed I took the summer off from…life (22 years of camp and counting!) But I'm back and intend on getting more of this up and maybe even the story finished, in the meantime I'm at 13 reviews, if we can get to 20 I'll update before Friday (back on the old routine, updates will go up on Fridays)**

xxx

And she's watching him with those eyes

And she's lovin' him with that body, I just know it

Yeah 'n' he's holding her in his arms

Late, late at night

You know, I wish that I had Jessie's girl

I wish that I had Jessie's girl

Where can I find a woman like that

That Monday I was still a little high from the weekend, Soda and I were dating, had our first kiss...and then there was the whole getting sick thing, but I was trying to not think about that part as much.

So when I got to school Monday morning I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary. I'd meet Soda at my locker to go to 4th period and then lunch together. We'd eat with Two-Bit and Steve and then walk back to his house in the afternoon.

However, Randy and his friends had other plans for me. Word gets around fast in a place like Tulsa and if they hadn't already known, everyone and their mother knew about Soda and I by lunch. The other greasers didn't seem to care very much (except Sandy who kept giving me death glares all day), the socs on the other hand were pretty upset about our dating. I over heard many comments and snickers during the day but I ignored them, who cared about them anyway?

After third period I was heading to my locker, the quickest way to get there was to go by the gym, an area with few students and even fewer teachers around. As I was passing by the door to the boys locker room it was suddenly flung open, Randy, Bob, and Paul filing out, blocking my way down the hall.

"Hi Alice" Randy said with a smirk on his face.

"Hi Randy." I tried to get by, but they blocked me. "Excuse me Randy, I'm gonna be late for class."

"Don't you mean late to meet that greasy boyfriend of yours?

"If by that you mean Soda, then yes, he is waiting for me by my locker."

Randy came at me quickly, pinning me to the wall by my shoulders. "Your making a big mistake here Alice, our kind don't date their kind, you're not playing by the rules."

"What rules Randy? Yours? I've never been one for following those kind of rules if you haven't noticed."

"Well I think it's time that you learned what happens when those rules are broken…and how much more fun you could have following them." He pushed me harder into the wall and I felt my head knock into it. I saw stars and the world blurred a bit as Randy came in to kiss me.

I may have been knocked a little silly, but not senseless, this was not going to happen. I spit in his face and stomped hard on the inside of his foot. He lost his grip and I took the opportunity to get away, running down the hall. I stumbled on my own feet however and Randy took the chance to get ahold of my wrist and spin me around to face him.

"Fucking Bitch!" He roared at me as he drew back and slapped me across the face. This time my ears did ring, and for a moment I wasn't sure what was going on. Out of nowhere came Two-Bit, who let one fly to Randy's face, grabbed my free wrist and began to run down the hallway

"Come on Ali!" I ran after him and we didn't stop till we got to my locker where Soda was waiting with a big grin on his face.

"Hey guys wh..." He took one look at my tear-stained face, and split lip, in an instant he was ready to fight "what the hell happened to her?" He asked Two-Bit as he took my face in his hands and examined my lip.

I took a step back from him, "I am right here and capable of talking for myself." I tried really hard (and failed) to sound tuff through the tears that were spilling over.

"I'm sorry Ali Cat, what happened"

"It doesn't matter, we're already late for class, come on."

"It doesn't matter? You're bleeding!" I touched my fingers to my lip feeling the wet stickiness.

I sighed, "You have to promise me not to get into a fight over it." Soda simply stared at me, a hard look on his face. "Promise me, I won't have anyone getting hurt cause of me."

Two-Bit stuck his head around the corner where he had been standing while we talked "By the time I got there Randy had slapped her pretty good in the face and had her by the wrist while she tried to get away."

"I'm gonna kill the bastard" Soda said.

"No! You're not going to touch him! This is exactly what he wants! He wants to make you mad so you two can get into it."

Soda sighed I could tell he was trying very hard to clam down and control his anger for me, but his red face and angry eyes were making it hard to believe him. "If that's what you really want..."

"Yes, it is, can we please go to class now?"

"You um...might want to go clean the blood off first."

"Oh...ok" I went into the girls room down the hall and looked at my face, it was a little swollen and my lip was split open and oozing blood. My head was still swimming a bit but like hell I'd tell Soda that right now.

I wet some paper towels and dabbed at my bloody lip, well, that was as good as it was gonna get.

I excited the bathroom and took Soda's hand as we walked to math class, in no great rush as we were already over 15 minutes late, earning us a dirty look from the teacher.

We took the only two seats left in the back of the room all the way in the corner. I sat down and reached next to me to get my notebook out of my bag...my bag...I must have dropped it when Randy grabbed me.

"Shit" I hissed under my breath.

"What?" Soda whispered.

"I dropped my book bag."

"Here, take mine." Soda said holding out his notebook and pencil to me. "Take it, she won't think twice about me not paying attention."

I reached out to take notebook from Soda when he saw the thumb print shaped bruise on my wrist. "God damn it" Soda growled holding my wrist.

"Excuse me?" The teacher said turning around and waiting for a reply.

"Nothing ma'am, sorry." Soda said slouching down in his seat a bit.

Soda waited for a few moments until everyone's attention was off us again, before reaching out and taking my wrist, examining the bruise before he lifted it to his lips, gently kissing the purple welt that was forming.

True to his word Soda did not go after Randy, even though I knew it was a hit to his pride. We both heard the whispers around school that Soda was afraid of Randy, or that he wasn't going to defend me, but at my urging he kept ignoring them.

About two weeks after the incident Randy had gone out to his car and found his tires slashed, and the insides covered in wet, sticky, flour...I chose to look the other way.

xxx

**A/N – Song is Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield…someone's a little jealous…! So, not the longest chapter in the world but better then nothing? Review please!**


	9. Chapter 9 You already Won Me Over

You've already won me over in spite of me

And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet

Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are

I couldn't help it

It's all your fault

2 Months Later

"Soda?"

"In here!" I went into the kitchen where Soda was putting a chocolate cake in the oven. "Hey Baby." Soda said giving me a kiss.

"Where were you today? I missed you at school."

"I...come on, we need to talk." Soda took my hand and led me out onto the back porch. "I told you a long time ago that I never wanted to be someone that you were ashamed to be with...and I know school is important, but I think...I think I'm gonna drop out."

"What?! Why?! I'll help you get caught up in everything but math Soda! We can do this, we can still fix things at school. Your attendance has been awful lately but if you just come and explain to the teachers I'm sure they'll let you make up the work you've missed!"

"It's not the work I've missed that's the problem baby." Soda took my hands and looked me in the eye, trying to make me understand. "Honestly, it's money...since mom and dad died, Darry is working himself to death and I feel crummy that I'm not helping support this family. If anyone has a chance at going to college now it's Pony and we're barely getting enough money to stay afloat, never mind put him through college..."

I nodded my head. I knew he was right. "Besides the only classes I'm passing are gym and auto shop. Not like I'm going anywhere with the grades I get."

"Soda! While I understand your decision, and support whatever you decide to do, do not talk about yourself that way! Some people are book smart and others are good with their hands, there's no shame in that. I love you, more then anyone else in my life, and we'll get through this, together, as always"

Soda looked taken aback at my words, "You love me?"

Had I just said that? Shit. "I...yes, I love you" I looked at my hands "I always have."

Soda hooked his fingers under my chin and forced my head up to look at him. "Hey" I raised my eyes to his "never feel like you need to be ashamed of what you feel, you can tell me anything...I love you to Alice, I have since the first time I saw you."

I laughed "In detention no less."

"No...it was a few days before that, when Randy first pushed you down, I wanted so badly to protect you, but you handled yourself fine. The second time, I was going to get involved and then you came up swinging and I thought _that is one tuff chic, she is amazing_."

I smiled and kissed him. "Alright back to the serious stuff boy, if your not going to school what are you doing?"

"Well," Soda said reaching out and pulling me so my back was against his chest and his arms around me. "I've been working part - time for the last month at the DX station you know that." I nodded against him. "The owner offered to let me go full time if I could work open to 4 during the week and open to 1 on Saturdays. That's a lot of money for this family, I couldn't say no."

"Couldn't?"

"Ya...I already told him I'd do it, but I wanted to talk to you before I went and withdrew from school." I felt him shrug. "I feel like we should be making the big decisions together."

"I'm gonna miss you in math class"

Soda kissed my hair, "Ya, but I'll be here at night and almost all weekend, we'll see each other plenty."

I knew that while things would never really be easy for us, at least we'd be in it together.

A/N – I know it's short yet again, however the lack of reviews is kinda killing my ambition. I'll try and get another chapter up next Friday…


	10. Chapter 10 Gidget Goes Hawaiian

It's not the same down by the sea

Since the Gidget came to Waikiki

You hear the native boys all sighin' way down on Maunalua Bay

'Cause when the Gidget goes Hawaiian

She goes Hawaiian all the way

xxx

1962 - Senior Year

The next year and a half passed quickly. Soda and I fell more in love every day and the world kept changing around us. Pony was growing up and looking for more freedom in a place where it wasn't safe for a dreamer like him, I was practically living with the Curtis's as my father had walked out on us the previous year and my mother had dissolved into a drunken mess.

However, life had still given us reasons to be happy. Darry had won his battle to keep Soda and Pony out of the boy's home, letting us all breath a sigh of relief. Soda and Darry were working steady enough to pay the bills and put a little aside for Pony to go to college. I was in my senior year and had had very little trouble with Randy and his friends since that day in 10th grade. I was looking foreword to finishing school and getting a job...I was secretly hoping Soda and I would get married...but I sure as hell wasn't going to admit that out loud!

One Friday night I walked home from school with Pony, Johnny and Steve getting there a few minutes before Soda got home from work.

"Hey Dally" I said to the hood sitting on the front steps of the house.

"Hey Ali," Dally answered.

"When'd you get out of the cooler?" Johnny asked, Johnny worshiped Dally. Dally never got pushed around by anyone, and was confidant and cocky...the exact opposite of Johnny.

"Got out this morning, found out that little broad Sylvia been two timing me again while I was in the joint."

We all nodded, thinking the same thing, it wasn't like he was all that faithful...nor nice to her to begin with.

"So...what are ya doing around here for fun these days?" Dally asked looking at the three of us. Dally was a tough hood, the real deal in our little group. He had grown up in New York and been involved in some shady things. However, under all that was a nice guy, not that anyone but Johnny and I really saw it. He had a tough exterior, but seemed to feel a need to protect the weaker people around him. In this case that was Johnny and I.

"Hey darlin'" Soda said coming up behind me and wrapping an arm around my waist as he kissed the top of my head. "What's up Dal?"

"Just trying to find something fun to do tonight, maybe the Nightly Double, you guys in?"

"Naw, I'm taking Evie to the football game." Steve answered.

"We'll go! Right Soda?" I asked turning to look at him.

"Sorry baby, but I just came home for dinner, boss asked me to close tonight."

"Oh, alright, we're out then." I couldn't help but sound slightly disappointed.

"Johnny and I will go, right Johnny?" Pony asked.

"Sure." Johnny said quietly. Ever since Johnny had been beaten up badly by a few socs a few weeks back he had been even more quiet then normal, skittish even of his own shadow.

"I was planning on getting drunk" Two - Bit said, "but if I don't get to wasted I'll come find ya."

"Why don't you go too Ali? You'll be getting back same time as I'm getting home from work."

"Sure, long as the boys don't mind, I don't want to be the tagalong." I smiled at Dally.

"Naw, no one minds if Ali comes, right boys?" Pony and Johnny agreed readily.

"Alright then, I'll go out with the boys tonight, AFTER I make sure everyone gets dinner. Everyone be ready to eat in an hour please!" I headed inside, dropping my book bag in Soda's room before heading into the kitchen. Soda joined me there a few moments later and we talked about our days while I made spaghetti and meatballs.

An hour later I had 7 boys sitting around the table eating hungrily. Years ago I had learned to take my helping before the boys sat down to eat. No one talked as they shoveled the food down, I figured that this was the first meal of the day for a few of them so I sure as hell was staying out of the way.

After dinner all the boys disappeared into the living room to watch Mickey, and Soda went back to work. I was in the kitchen starting the dishes when Darry came in and grabbed the dish cloth. "How was school today Ali Cat?" Ever since my father had walked out and Matthew had more or less stopped talking to me Darry had stepped up in my life.

"Eh, it was ok. I'm just counting down the days till I graduate, and get the hell out of there."

"Don't be in to much of a rush little one, enjoy these easy years, no big responsibilities." I looked at him. "I know you do a lot to take care of us kiddo, I just mean the added pressure of a job and all that."

I smiled at him. "I'm in no rush for anything Darry, I just don't want to be told what to do anymore, when to eat lunch, when to go to the bathroom, and such."

"Ya, I can't blame you there Ali, I don't miss those parts of school either." Darry said laughing as he finished drying the dishes. "But in all seriousness, you've taken on a lot to help out this family since our parents died, way more then we can even express our thanks for...I don't know how we would have done this without you some days."

I smiled a little awkwardly, I wasn't looking for thanks, I liked helping out, made me feel more needed then I ever did at my own house. "Your welcome Darry, but I mean...its what you do for family." I jumped up and gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek, before leaving the kitchen and joining the boys on the porch to head to the Nightly Double.

We walked through the slowly darkening streets of Tulsa, the boys slouching, trying to look tough while I walked alongside, amused at how hard they were trying.

We got to the movies and slid under the fence to avoid paying, we all had money on us...but that wasn't the point. As usual Pony reached back to help me under the fence, I always seemed to have a hard time getting my hips through.

Once we were in we grabbed seats in back row of plastic bucket seats. Some dumb beach movie was playing and I was already regretting coming, this was going to be a boring night.

A few minutes later Cherry and Marcia came over and sat in the seats in front of us. Cherry was speaking angrily about how she wouldn't be out with Bob when he was drinking, and she was going to enjoy her movie.

I saw the gleam in Dally's eyes a moment later, maybe this was going to be an interesting night after all. Dally put his feet up on her seat, just close enough to her back for her to be bothered by them.

The girls started whispering to each other, Cherry obviously deciding to say something to Dally or not.

Dally smirked at me "Man, I'd love to get me a piece of that...I wonder if all her hairs are red?"

"Take your feet off my chair and shut your trap" She said evenly with a look that could kill.

"Whoa, I think she hates me. Do ya? Do ya hate me doll?" Dally asked inching closer to her, this was not going well.

"You'd better leave us alone, or I'll call the cops."

"Oh my, you've got me scared to death, you should see my rap sheet baby."

"Just leave us alone, why don't you be nice and just leave us alone?"

"I'm never nice baby, want a coke?"

"I wouldn't drink it if I was in the desert! Get lost hood!"

Dally laughed and strolled off, maybe he'd get me a coke?

"You gonna start in on us to?" Cherry asked looking at the boys.

"Really Cherry?" I asked

"Oh, hey Alice, I didn't even see you there." Jesus was I invisible? "I've missed hanging out with you, surprised you'd hang out with trash like that."

I shrugged, there was no use trying to explain it to her, she'd never understand, never had.

"We're all greasers" Pony said, "Same as Dally."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

Dally rounded the corner with his arms full of cokes. He handed one to each of us before handing one to Cherry, sitting down next to her. "Here this might cool you off."

She looked at him in disbelief for a moment before dumping her coke over his head, "That might cool you off, greaser. After you wash your mouth and learn to talk and act decent, I might cool off too!"

I couldn't help but laugh, I had never seen someone (especially a girl) stand up to Dally like that and for the first time ever I couldn't help but admire Cherry a little bit.

But then Dally smiled, I knew that smile and it was not something you messed with. "Fiery huh? Well that's how I like'em." He started to put his arm around her, but Johnny reached over and stopped him.

"Leave her alone, Dally."

"What did you say? What did you say you little shit?"

"I...I said leave her alone Dal."

Dally ran a hand through his hair "I can't believe this...god damned little shit" he muttered as he walked off to cause trouble somewhere else.

"Okay Greasers, your finished!" Someone clapped their hand down hard on Johnny's shoulder and he let out a little yelp. Pony and I turned quickly, to figure out what we were up against when we saw Two-Bit laughing behind us. "Sorry man, just playing" Two -Bit said ruffling Johnny's hair.

"Are you stupid?!" I yelled. "You just scared the crap out of him, you know better!" I fussed.

"What happened?" Cherry asked innocently.

"Johnny got jumped a few weeks back, by a soc, one who was wearing a lot of rings." I maintained eye contact with Cherry, both of us knowing that her boyfriend Bob wore a lot of rings.

"Hey, Alice, it's alright, he didn't mean no harm." Johnny said quietly, touching my arm.

"I know...sorry I yelled Two-Bit."

"It's all good Ali Cat, now who are these two grandmas you sitting with?"

Everyone laughed, that was Two-Bit for you. The rest of the evening passed quickly, the boys chatted up the girls and we all made fun of the dumb beach movie on the screen. It was a nice, normal night.

A/N – The song is Gidget Goes Hawaiian by James Darren. When I think of dumb beach movie I think of the 2 Gidget sequels, the first one was quality and James Darren is hot!

Hope you enjoyed the longer chapter, figured since it had been a few weeks I owed you. Make a very miserable high school teacher happy and send me some reviews please! 10 reviews gets you another chapter this weekend!


	11. Chapter 11 - Breath

'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable

And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table

No one can find the rewind button, girl.

So cradle your head in your hands

And breathe... just breathe,

Oh breathe, just breathe

Leaving the movies that night the boys decided that we were going to walk the girls home. As we were leaving everyone was in a jovial mood, laughing and talking. We had barley walked 200 feet from the theater when a red Mustang pulled up behind us.

"Oh no." Marcia said.

"Just stay calm." Cherry replied.

"Cherry, what the hell!? What are you doing with them?!" Bob yelled.

"Bob, I told you I'm never going with you when you're drunk! I hate it!" Cherry yelled.

"Come on just get in the car!" Bob said.

"Hey!" Two-Bit yelled. "She said she wasn't going with you!"

"Quiet! We've got two more in the back seat."

"Pity the back seat!" Two-Bit responded as he broke a bottle and handed it to Pony, before taking out his own prized butterfly knife. I quietly slipped my own switchblade out from my back pocket and opened it behind my back. While I had no intention of fighting, there was no way I would be left defenseless.

"Stop!" Cherry yelled. "Stop it! I hate fights, I hate them. We'll go with you guys, just give me a minute ok?" Cherry took Pony aside for a moment and then her and Marcia headed towards the car.

"Alice, why don't you come with us?" Bob asked,

"Ya!" Cherry said, "Come and catch up with everyone, we're headed to a party over at Paul's...you haven't come to hang out in awhile."

I thought about it for a moment, she was right I hadn't connected with those friends much since the Curtis's parents had died, and their were a few people that I would have liked to see. Couldn't hurt right?

"Sure...I'll come by for a bit." I said as I headed towards the car, slipping my knife to Johnny as I walked by.

Two-Bit grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me aside. "Are you sure about this Ali? These guys have given you a lot of trouble over the years. Plus, I'm not sure Soda's gonna like this much."

"It's the girls I'm going to catch up with Two-Bit, I could care less about those boys. Besides, I'm Soda's girlfriend, not his daughter. I can do what I want. Let him know I'll come by before I go home ok? About midnight or so? Thanks Two-Bit" I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and jumped in the car with the others as we took off towards Paul's.

xxx

About two hours later Cherry dropped me off at the Curtis house, I had had a few beers while at the party and was feeling pretty good. The party had been nice, no one bothered me, and I got a chance to catch up with some girlfriends from before. Now however I was tired and buzzed, and had all intentions of sleeping it off on the Curtis's coach, no one would notice if I didn't make it home tonight anyways.

Looking ahead of me I was surprised to see that all the lights in the Curtis's house were on, and I could see Darry pacing by the door. I hurried inside to see what was the matter.

"Pony!? Oh...Alice, hi." Darry said looking distractedly out the window.

I went over to the coach where Soda was sitting looking on edge, "Hey Baby, what's wrong?"

Soda gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Pony hasn't come home yet, we're not sure where he is..."

"Not home yet!? I left him and the boys at the movies like two hours ago!"

Soda sighed "Exactly, no one knows where he went after he and Johnny split off from Two-Bit."

"Have you called the cops yet?" Soda reached up and grabbed my wrist, pulling me down next to him on the couch.

"I can't call the cops." Darry said taking a seat in the armchair across from the coach. "If it looks like I can't keep tabs on him they'll put him and Soda into a boys home so fast..." He dropped his head into his hands, running his fingers through his hair.

"He'll turn up soon guys...I know he will."

"I hope your right baby." Soda said as he tucked me under his arm and slouched down on the coach.

**A/N – The song is Breath (2am) by Anna Nalick. It's a bit of a short chapter but I feel like this was a good cutting point. Obviously we are now starting to mirror the events of the book for awhile and there is some blatant plagiarism happening.**

**I do not own the Outsiders and if I had Rob Lowe would have spent a lot more time shirtless in the movie. If you sue you'll get smelly trapeze grips, a bunch of athletics paperwork and 50 seniors to plan a trip for.**

**Please review and make a stressed out teacher smile. 10 reviews will get you an update tomorrow when I should be lesson planning!**


	12. Very Last Country Song

xxx

But if life stayed it was

And lovers never fell out of love

If memories didn't last so long

If nobody did nobody wrong

If we knew what we had before it was gone

If every road led back home

This would be

The very last country song

Finally about two hours later the door opened and we all jumped up from our seats.

"And where have you been little man?" Darry practically snarled.

"I feel asleep in the lot."

"You had us worried sick! And I couldn't even call the cops cause they'd throw you and Soda in the boys home so fast your heads would spin!"

"I'm sorry Darry, I didn't mean..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I didn't think! That's all I ever hear from you! Do you have any common sense in that head of yours!?"

"Aw, come on Darry, he's home, let's just all go to bed." Soda said starting to move towards Pony to get his younger brother around his older one.

"Stop defending him!" Darry yelled.

"Don't you yell at him!" Pony yelled back.

Suddenly something inside Darry must have just snapped. The death of his parents, the long hours at work and all the worry about his brothers must have just built up when he reached out and shoved Pony into the door.

Pony stood up looking shocked for a moment before he took off out the door and back out into the night. "Pony! I'm sorry!" Darry yelled, but it was to late, he was gone. Darry started out the door after him but Soda stopped him.

"You stay here Darry, I'll go after him."

"I'll go with you." Soda nodded at me. He went into his room and came back with sweatshirts for the both of us before we headed out into the dark night.

We went to the park by the fountain first, figuring that was the furthest place he would go. Then doubled back, going to everyones house, Bucks, and even the Dingo before checking the lot and heading back to the house. Showing back up there without him was hard but we did our best to assure Darry that Pony would be back in the morning and we would work together to make everything right again.

I woke up the next morning stiff and just as exhausted as I had been the night before. I was curled up with my head in Soda's lap, a blanket thrown over me. Soda had his head back on the coach and was snoring quietly while Darry did the same in his chair.

I got up quietly trying not to wake anyone. I went and looked in the bathroom as well as all the bedrooms, no Ponyboy. Figuring it was gonna be a long day I went into the kitchen to make us all some breakfast, full stomachs would help us think through this better.

The doorbell rang, and when I stuck my head out of the kitchen I saw Soda getting up to answer it so I headed back into the kitchen to continue cooking. After 5 minutes or so I was sitting at the table while the pancakes cooked, my hands wrapped around a black cup of coffee. Finally Soda came in, eyes red, "Who was that hunny?"

"The cops..."

I stood up, leaving my coffee on the table, and touched his arm. "Soda, hunny, what did the cops have to say?"

"They...um...they said that there was a fight last night between Randy, Bob, Paul, Johnny and Pony. Bob was holding Pony's head under the water at the fountain and Johnny stabbed Bob...killed him. Him and Pony ran...they have no idea where they are..."

"Oh my god...Johnny killed Bob...the poor kid..."

"Ya...did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Know that those socs were going to go after my brother last night? I mean you were at a party with them, drinking, having a good time and who knows what else! Plus, from the description the cops gave of the blade it wasn't Johnny's, it had my initials and yours carved into the handle" Soda was starting to yell looking more afraid then I had ever seen him.

"Of course I had no idea! I gave Johnny my blade when I left them at the movies last night, I didn't want to go to that party with it on me…"

"You sure about that? We went to the park where it all happened first, gave them plenty of time to get there after we left. Maybe you told them where he likes to hang out, socs gotta stick together."

"Soda, your upset and your not thinking straight, why would I have given Johnny that blade if I was helping the socs to find them?" I said trying to move past him and out of the kitchen, for the first time in my life he was making me nervous and I didn't want to be alone with him.

"Hey! We're not done here!" Soda stepped in my path, grabbing my upper arm tightly. "Tell me the truth Alice, you went out with them last night, drank with them, told them how to find my brother, did you sleep with one of them to? Did you act like a trashy socy whore?" He snarled at me.

I wrenched my arm away and slapped Soda across the face with all the strength that I had, "Don't you dare talk to me like that you asshole, I went to the party, hung out and had a few drinks that's it. How dare you accuse me of doing anything to hurt that boy, I love him like my own brother." I pushed past a now stunned Soda and hurried from the house.

On the porch I felt Soda grab my wrist. "Alice..." I quickly wrenched it away turning to face him, seeing the red hand print that I had left on his face, knowing I'd have a matching hand print on my upper arm.

"Do. not. touch. me." I told him quietly before leaving and going straight home, having never been so upset in my life.

**A/N – The song is Very Last Country Song by Sugarland. This is a long weekend so 10 reviews will get you a chapter tomorrow, I generally get 6 so if 4 people that read and never review do…**

**Still don't own the outsiders, however you only get 40 seniors if you sue…apparently some of us have a hard time passing English 11…**

**Also, just to vent I had a almost finished song fic that one of my students accidently closed on me that now I'm to last to rewrite…**


	13. Chapter 13 - Breakeven

I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing

Just prayin' to a god that I don't believe in

Cos I got time while she got freedom

Cos when a heart breaks no it don't break even

xxx

I found my house empty, and throwing myself face down on my bed had the cry of my life. Everything was so messed up, all I had done was go to a party, and I had lost everything. I knew Soda was upset but the words still hurt and I wasn't going to forgive them easily...if at all.

I still couldn't help but feel like I could have prevented this though. If I had left with Johnny and Pony I would have made sure he had gone home rather then falling asleep in the lot, or at least have known where he was when he didn't come home. But in the end you couldn't change the past, and there was nothing I could do at the moment...so sitting in my room and crying seemed like the best alternative.

Later that afternoon I was going stir crazy, I wasn't used to being in this house much anymore, and I wasn't used to not being surrounded by people. I needed some answers...but who to go to? Dallas Winston. If something bad happened in this town you sure as hell knew he knew something about it. Besides, if I ever killed someone and needed help getting out of town he would be the first one I'd go to.

I took a quick shower, throwing my hair in a braid and pulling on jeans and a light sweater before heading off to Buck's where I knew Dally was renting a room.

I walked right into Buck's like I owned the place, ignoring the hellos and questions as I marched up the stairs and threw open the door to the first room I came across which luckily was Dally's.

"Hey! What the hell Alice!?" He yelled as he and Sylvia quickly covered up.

"Hi Sylvia. Where are they Dally?"

"Where's who?" He smirked at me, he knew exactly what I was talking about and I was not in the mood...not by a long shot.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about Dallas Winston, don't be an asshole."

"Such strong language..."

"Dally! Shut the fuck up! I know you know where those boys are...you're the first one I'd go to if I needed to get out of town."

"So?"

"So what?"

"So, if they did come to me, why in hell would I tell you where they are? So you could run to your little boyfriend and tell him where to go and get his brother arrested? Don't think so love."

"Look, Dal, you know how close those boys are. It's gonna kill Soda and Darry to not know where he is...just take a letter or something for them, do something to make them feel better. And, for the record, Sodapop is not my boyfriend. Not after what he said this morning. Sorry to bother ya, Syl." I nodded to the naked girl on the other side of the bed before making my way out and going home, unsure of what else to do with myself.

I slept badly that night. For oh so many reasons. Bob was dead, and while I wasn't a fan of him, I was friendly with his girlfriend Cherry. I couldn't imagine being in her shoes, couldn't imagine something ever happening to Soda. Soda...that was a whole other problem, I hadn't gone a whole day without talking to him in almost 8 years and that alone was stressing me out.

So when the phone rang the next afternoon, I got my hopes up.

"Hello?"

"Hi Alice, it's Cherry." She sounded about as tired as I felt.

"Hi Cherry...I'm really sorry about Bob..." I didn't know what else to say.

"I...it's...do you want to go to the diner and get something to eat...I need to get out of the house, and if what I've heard is true I 'spect you do to."

I couldn't help but ask, "What have you heard?"

"That Pony was involved and that no one knows where he is...I also heard a rumor that you and Soda broke up..."

"Ya, well, you've heard right on everything...I'll meet you there in an hour?"

"See you there Alice."

I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. This would be my first time out after the breakup...I knew it was silly but that bothered me for some reason.

But I wasn't going to be that girl, I wasn't going to sit and cry over him...not during the day at least. So I got myself up and got moving so I wouldn't be late to meet Cherry.

When I got to the diner Cherry was already at a booth with Marcia, Paul and Randy...not quite what I was expecting, but whatever. I went over and offered a tight smile as I slid into the booth next to Randy.

"Hey kids, what can I get ya?" The middle aged waitress asked coming over to our booth.

"Nothing for me thanks." Cherry said looking as if she was barley holding it together.

"Vanilla milkshake please" Marcia answered.

"Burger and Fries." Randy said

"Same for me." Paul answered.

"Chocolate milkshake please?" I asked.

"Coming right up kids." The waitress walked off with our orders.

We spent the next half hour talking about Bob, remembering better times, when we were all still friends and no one was getting killed. At some point during the conversation Randy had put his arm around the back of the booth, around me, but I had decided not to care right now. It wasn't like Soda was going to be upset, and right now we all needed a little comfort.

"Hey" Paul said suddenly. "Isn't that Soda and Steve over there?" I looked over and sure enough sitting at a table across the diner was Steve and Soda, and with them were Evie and Sandy.

"Oh..." I felt like all the air had been knocked from my lungs, he was here with her. She had been trying for years to get him from me and she wasn't wasting anytime moving in. "Ya...that's Soda."

He picked that moment to look over from Sandy and see me sitting at the table. I saw his shoulders sink and a look of hurt come over his face that matched how I felt. Slowly he got up from his seat and came over to the table.

"Hey Alice." My full name...how long had it been since he'd used my full name?

"Hey Sodapop." His full name felt weird on my tongue...to formal.

"I...um...do you want to come join us?" I could see hope in his eyes, hope that I'd come over and we could pretend that the other day had never happened. But I was still feeling hurt.

"So you've decided that I'm not a socy whore then?" I asked with a twisted smile on my face. "You've decided that I didn't try and hurt your brother? That you're going to talk to me again?"

"Ali...I...I was hurting, I shouldn't have said all that."

"Your right, you shouldn't have. But I'm here with friends right now and it looks like you are to. So why don't you go on over to the greaser side of the diner and I'll stay here with the other socs. Might as well face it Soda, we need to stick to our own kind, I need to stick with the better kind." Watching his face fall made my stomach twist in knots, I had never said anything like that and I didn't like the way it made me feel.

I watched as Soda quickly wiped the hurt from his face and tried to look tuff. He nodded his head and walked back over to his table where he said something to the group before they all got up to leave. As they left Sandy wrapped her arm around his waist, his arm slung over her shoulders. She looked back at me as they left and smiled, I had never wanted to hit someone so badly in my life.

"You ok Alice?" Randy asked.

"I...no...I can't breath." I got up from the table and rushed out to the ally where I got sick.

"Shit, Alice...be careful of my shoes damn it." Randy said as he stood next to me, trying to hold my hair back from the greatest distance. "You feeling any better?"

"No, not really."

"You coming back inside?"

"No I think it's best that I leave."

"We could go some place else, just the two of us."

"No Randy...I don't think so, I'm in no way ready for that." Randy nodded his head and then went back in the diner. Another difference between him and Soda, Soda would never have left me here, never been concerned about his shoes.

I walked home slowly, not really wanting to be there but really having no place else to go. Normally when I was upset I would go to the Curtis's but that wasn't an option so home alone in my bedroom is where I would be.

**A/N – The song is Breakeven by The Script. Sorry that I've had a life lately and haven't updated but people keep getting married and kids at work need things…**

**Hurricane Sandy is supposed to give us a pretty decent beating in the next few days so if you want an extra chapter send me 10 reviews before I lose power!**

**I do not own the Outsiders and the only profit I make from this is a short escape from the real world to a place where I can write and maintain what little sanity I have remaining…**


	14. Chapter 14 - No Good Deed

No good deed goes unpunished

All helpful urges should be circumvented

No good deed goes unpunished

Sure, I meant well -

Well, look at what well-meant did:

xxx

The next morning the phone rang, I hated that I hoped that it was Soda, hoped that he was calling to tell me that he loved me, and all was forgiven.

It wasn't Soda on the other end.

"Ali?"

"Two-Bit?" Two-Bit had never called my house before.

"Ya, look Ali, they found Pony and Johnny, and they're at the hospital. Ponys ok but...but I guess Johnny is pretty bad. We're headed down now."

"I don't know if I should Two-Bit...Soda and I..."

"Are you still family Ali?"

"Wh-what?"

"Are you still apart of this family?" Two-Bit said more forcefully.

"Yes, of course."

"Then get down to the hospital." Two-bit hung up the phone.

I didn't give it a second thought; I grabbed my purse and my mother's car keys and ran out the door.

When I got to the hospital I ran up to the emergency floor and quickly found the Curtis's standing in the hallway hugging. It was nice to see the boys back together...even if I wasn't really apart of it anymore.

I stood off to the side watching with Steve and Two-Bit. "Ali?" Pony asked looking at me. I walked past his brothers and wrapped my arms around that sweaty sooty kid.

"God I've been so worried about you Pony." I pulled back studying his face, whatever he had been through the last few days had aged him. "Look at your hair kid..."

"Ya, ya, I look real tough."

"Excuse me, are you the family of Johnny Cade?" A doctor asked.

"Yes." Darry said quickly before anyone could say otherwise. We all turned to look at the doctor and I tightened my arm around Pony's shoulders, whatever he had to tell us his face didn't make it seem like it would be good news.

"The young man is severely burned and he has a broken back. He's in room 309 if you'd like to see him. He's in a lot of pain though, so please try to make sure that he stays calm." The doctor turned to go.

"Is he, is he going to be ok?" Two-bit asked.

"No, I'm sorry, I thought I made that clear. He has 3rd degree burns over 3/4 of his body. I'll be amazed if he makes it through the night." With that he walked away.

Everyone simply stood there looking at each other. _If he makes it through the night_, Johnny was going to die, and there was nothing any of us were going to be able to do to help him.

"I...I can't leave him alone, I'm going to stay with him for the night." Pony finally said. "I don't want him to die alone." He looked from me to his brothers, a look of terror and panic playing over his features.

"Pony...we need to get you home and cleaned up, and we all need some sleep..." Darry said looking torn.

"I'll stay." I spoke up. "I'll stay with him tonight and I'll call if anything...changes."

"Thank you Ali, someone will come relieve you in the morning ok?"

I nodded; Darry wrapped his arms around me in a hug, holding me tight for a moment. I looked at Soda who nodded, but wouldn't look at me, still angry with me for this afternoon I imagined.

I broke away from the hug and headed into Johnny's room, Two-Bit following me. "Oh my God." I breathed out quietly. Two-Bit stopped short knocking into me.

"Christ." He whispered.

Johnny was laying on some special kind of bed; face down with a mirror system so that he could see around him. His skin was red and raw, peeling and whole patches missing. He looked terrible.

Two-Bit took my hand, "Come on, I'll stay with you." We sat down near Johnny's head hands still clasped, trying to provide each other some comfort in the face of what was happening to our friend.

"Johnny...can you hear me hunny?"

"Uh huh."

"Two-Bit and I are gonna be here all night love, if you need anything just let us know ok."

"Did...did those little kids make it?" His voice was raspy from all the smoke.

"Ya" Two-Bit answered. "The kids made it."

"Good, their lives are worth more then mine, their pure, they never did nothing wrong."

"Don't say that baby, your gonna be just fine."

"It...it hurts a lot Ali..." He said right before he passed out from the pain.

"Man..." Two-Bit said, running his fingers through his hair.

"No kidding, it's been a hell of a week..."

"Soda's real broken up over what happened with you."

"Ya, well, he said some pretty horrible things to me, I thought he loved me." I tried hard to not let the tears spill over. Between seeing Johnny like this, and talking about what happened with Soda I was quickly heading towards being a complete mess.

"Ya, he told me what he said...but he was real torn up about his brother...I'm not saying forgive him Ali Cat, just saying that you should talk to him about it. Seeing you yesterday with Randy really broke him, I've never seen him that upset."

I nodded, "I'm sure that we will talk, but I'm just not ready yet."

"I get it kiddo, let's try and get some sleep while Johnnycakes out." Two-Bit slung his arm around me and I put my head on his chest, getting the first almost decent nights sleep I had had in days.

xxx

The next morning I woke up by myself stretched out over both chairs. There was a note on the floor explaining that Two-bit had to leave in the night, he couldn't sleep and just couldn't watch Johnny cry in his sleep anymore.

"Hey kid" I looked up to see Steve standing at the door.

"Hi." I stretched out my back trying to stand up straight.

"I figured I'd come relieve you. Thought you might want to go home, sleep in your own bed, shower, maybe talk to Soda."

"I definitely need the shower, I'll come back this afternoon after I find something to eat."

I kissed Johnny carefully on the only part of his forehead that didn't look burned and started out of the room. Steve reached out and took me by the arm. "What about the talking to Soda part?"

I sighed, "Not yet Steve, I'm still pretty mad."

"I get that, but if this" he gestured towards Johnny. "Teaches us anything, it should teach us that life is short kid...just don't wait to long ok?"

"I won't" I said with a smile.

I went home and took a long hot shower, trying to wash away everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. Going to the diner, seeing Soda leave with Sandy, going to the hospital, and seeing Johnny in so much pain.

Not knowing what else to do with myself I grabbed a book and headed back to the hospital. When I got there I was surprised to see Johnny's mother there, yelling as always, and Two-Bit and Pony standing there watching as she yelled at the nurse.

"What do you mean he don't want to see me!? I'm his mother for Christ sakes!"

I stood near the boys, trying to blend in with the wall and not get noticed by Mrs. Cade. "Your letting them in!? These kids are responsible for this! Bunch of hoods!"

"At least we care about him you old drunk! No wonder he hates you!" Two-Bit yelled.

Mrs. Cade got quiet for a moment and then stalked off the hospital wing. "If you all can't be quiet we'll ask you to leave." A nurse said. "We can't have him getting upset."

"No, it's ok. We'll be quiet, I promise." I said stepping forward and putting a hand on Two-Bit's shoulder. "Come on let's go in and see him."

**A/N – The song is No Good Deed from Wicked. Thanks to my two amazing reviewers from last week. I'm going to tell myself that we were low on reviews due to the hurricane. Show me some love and send some reviews my way!**

**I do not own the outsiders. Wish I did…if I owned the story and was on set with Rob Lowe…**


	15. Chapter 15 I'll Stand By You

When the night falls on you

You don't know what to do

Nothin' you confess, could make me love you less

I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you

Won't let nobody hurt you

I'll stand by you

Walking into the room with the boys made things a little easier, no less real, but it was easier to deal with the horror and pain in front of me when I had one of my best friends and my little brother beside me.

As we crossed the threshold I heard Pony give a little gasp beside me, I had forgotten that he had yet to see Johnny since they had left the church. I turned and gave him a tight smile, hoping that he would understand that we all needed to be strong for Johnny; right now he was the only one that mattered.

Pony met my eyes before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, fighting for composure much as Two-Bit and I had the night before. We all looked back to Johnny, laying there with his eyes closed, his breathing shallow and painful sounding. The result of inhaling to much smoke I assumed.

"Hey Johnnycake" Two-Bit said.

Johnny's eyes slowly opened, focusing on each of us in turn. "Hey ya'll"

A nurse who was fussing with one of his IVs looked up at him and smiled. "So…you can talk after all."

Two-Bit smiled at the nurse, "They treating you ok kid?"

Johnny struggled to speak for a moment. "They…don't…let me put enough grease in my hair."

I smiled and laughed a little, "Well, I think you and Pony look very handsome without it. Maybe you boys will start a new trend."

"Naw" Two – Bit drawled out, "it'd never catch on, greasers like Tim Shepard are so greasy they slid when they walk."

We all laughed, Johnny losing his breath and starting to cough so hard that my heart ached for him as he tried to not look panicked. Once he had caught his breath we all sat down across from him.

"Look man, don't talk, just listen alright?" Two – Bit began. "We're having the big rumble tonight." Johnny's eyes darkened a little but he remained silent. "It's to bad you and Dally can't be in it. It's the first big rumble we've had in a long time – not counting the time we whipped Shepard's outfit."

"He came by."

"Tim Shepard?!" I asked surprised.

"Ya, he came by to see Dally and stopped in here to."

I knew Tim and Dally had always been buddies, but I was still surprised that Tim had taken the time to come down to the hospital.

"Did you know you got your name in the paper? For being a hero." Two – Bit informed him.

"That's tuff" He answered back with a grin. Behind the grin though you could see that he was in pain, he was paler then the pillow where his skin wasn't red and raw.

"Is there anything you want us to bring you man? Some hair grease maybe?"

Johnny looked to Pony, "The book, could you get me another copy of the book?"

"He wants a copy of Gone With the Wind." Pony said looking at me.

I reached into my purse and pulled out a few dollars, handing them to Pony. "Why don't you run down to the gift shop and get the book baby."

The boys left the room, shutting the door behind them. I sat down near Johnny and wished I could see a way to hold his hand or touch him without causing him more pain. As we sat in easy silence he suddenly tensed, his face screwed up in pain.

"You ok hunny?" My heart was breaking.

"Ya…it just hurts sometimes, not often though, I can't feel below the middle of my back…I'm pretty bad off huh?"

"No hunny…your gonna be just fine."

"I'll never walk again, busted my back…I won't even be able to walk with crutches."

"It'll be ok…we'll find a way to make it work." I was fighting a battle against the tears now, a battle I was quickly losing.

"I'm so scared Ali…I used to think about killing my myself…but now I've realized 16 years just ain't enough. I ain't seen enough, done enough. The time with Pony, in Windrexville…that was the only time I'd ever been outside of Tulsa. I don't want to die Ali…"

"Oh…baby…your not going to die…"

"It just hurts so bad Ali…" Johnny drew in a deep breath and passed out.

I had to get out of that room, I had to get control of my emotions so I headed over to Dally's room.

**A/N – The song is Stand By You by Pretenders. Where do I even start? I haven't updated since November, which is sad as I have tons written all ready. I went to post this morning and realized I had left a hole in the story to be written later which I never did. I wrote the chapter and reread and worked on the rest of the story as well. I have no excuses…unless you want them, in which case my excuse is that I work at the kind of school where the freshmen beat a cop outside the building last week. Be my sanity, review! I don't deserve them, but if we can get 5 before Friday I'll post another chapter.**

**I do not own the outsiders…however I have made Soda do my bidding in upcoming chapters…**


	16. Chapter 16 - Leader of the Pack

I felt so helpless, what could I do?

Remembering all the things we'd been through

In school they all stop and stare

I can't hide the tears, but I don't care

I'll never forget him (the leader of the pack)

I headed over to Dally's room. Johnny had passed out again after the boys left and I figured Dally could use some company.

"Hey Dal...what are you doing?" Dally was out of bed and getting dressed, dragging his shirt over his head as I walked in.

"The rumble is tonight." He looked at me like I was stupid.

"I'm well aware Dally, but what are you doing out of bed?"

"I'm going to this rumble, after what they did to Johnny they are not getting off that easily."

"Dally...your still injured. You shouldn't be going out and fighting right now."

"I'm going Ali." He moved across the room, a small noise of pain escaping him.

"If your going to be so stupid and insist on going then at least let me give you a ride, my mother's car is in the garage."

Dally nodded, slipping into his shoes before we headed out of the hospital. The ride to the Curtis's house was silent and tense. I didn't have a good feeling about tonight, and I didn't have a good feeling about Dally fighting.

"Dal...I don't have a good feeling about this tonight, please don't go." I finally said as we pulled up in front of the house.

Dally turned and gave me that scary smile of his "I'll see ya later doll." he kissed my cheek and then ran off towards the park where the rumble would be.

I sighed; this was always the worst part of when the boys fought, the waiting. There was no way I was going down there, I'd get in the way and people would be more worried about me then about protecting themselves.

I went inside the house and went about gathering things I knew I'd need based on past experience. Bandages, alcohol (wipes and beer), ice, gauze, antiseptic, and a cake in the oven. Even before I'd been dating Soda I'd always been the one waiting to survey the damage, patch everyone up and while we were no longer together this still needed to get done.

Once everything was waiting in the living room and the cake was frosted I went out to sit on the steps and wait. I didn't have to wait long, before those boys came whopping and hollering down the street. They had obviously come out on top judging from their mood, I would never say they had won because who really won in a fistfight? No one.

"Ali!" Two-Bit yelled. "We wholloped them good!" Two-Bit wrapped an arm around my waist and spun me around in a circle.

"Alright, alright, lets get inside and see the damage." I said herding them all inside.

Inside, in the light of the living room everyone began to calm down, even with the beer they were drinking to help dull the pain...both physical and emotional.

Soda hadn't said anything to me yet, simply sat in the corner nursing his wounds. No one had been hurt too badly I couldn't help but think with a little bit of pride, my boys were good fighters.

"This missing tooth makes me look tuff." Steve said to no one in particular. "Don't you think it makes me look tuff Ali?"

I looked over from Darry's knuckles that I was cleaning and bandaging, "Ya Steve, real tuff." Darry tried to pull his hand away from me, but I kept a tight grip. "And you stop being such a baby, or stop getting in fights, and Two-Bit get over here and get some ice for that lump on your head."

Both boys smiled at me sheepishly and did as they were told.

30 minutes later the boys were patched up and sitting around drinking beer and eating the cake I had made. Soda had been sitting across the room for me all night, avoiding looking at me. This was getting ridicules...

"Soda?"

"Huh? Ya?" He looked startled that I had spoken to him.

"Can...can we please talk?"

"Sure...come on." Soda pushed himself off the floor and headed back towards his bedroom.

"Johnny's dead." We all turned to the now open door were Pony was standing, still dirty and bloody from the fight. "Johnny's dead and Dally...Dallys gonna blow."

We all nodded, and I began to tear up, while we had known it was coming it didn't make the sting of death any less painful. "Come on Pony, let's...let's get you cleaned up." I forced the words out through a throat that was threatening to close up on me and walked towards him finding it hard to see through the tears.

I had barley began cleaning the blood from his knuckles when the phone rang,

"Hello?" Darry said answering the phone.

"Ya, we know man, we already know about Johnny." Darry nodded a few times listening to Dally.

"Ok, ya, we'll be right there."

"Dally just knocked over a store and the fuzz is after him, we have to meet him at the park."

Everyone took off running out the door, myself included. Soda grabbed my hand and pulled me along, helping me keep up, for whatever reason we all knew it was important that we get there together.

As we came up on the park we could all see Dally standing on the rise, waving a gun in his hand, the cops standing below him yelling for him to put the gun down.

"Don't Shoot!" "It's not loaded!" "Wait!" Were some of the screams that penetrated the air as we ran closer, but our screams fell on deaf ears as the cops opened fire in a hail of bullets and Dally crumpled to the ground.

"No!" Someone yelled, it could have been all of us. It could have been me.

Dally crawled towards us as we ran, dropping the gun and falling dead on his back as we reached him.

Darry fell to his knees at Dally's side, Soda stopped running and grabbed me into his arms, pulling me close and burying his face in my hair as he began to sob. I hid my head in the crock of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent as I completely lost it, Soda being the only thing keeping me from hitting the ground.

"He was just a kid!" Two-Bit screamed at the cops. "He was just a kid and the gun wasn't even loaded."

As we stood there crying and yelling Pony fainted dead away in the middle of the road.

**A/N – The song is Leader of The Pack by the Shangri – Las, sometimes that 50s music is catchy…**

**So…the part about having pride in the boys being good fighters, hate to admit as a high school teacher, but when one of my boys (who goes so far as to sometimes call me mom even though I'm not even 10 years older lol) got jumped by two older boys last year and ended up whipping them both…I had some pride in that. I think I need to get out of the inner city…**

**Lastly, we were one review shy last week of getting an early chapter…shoot for 5 again…maybe this will be the week?**


	17. Chapter 17 - Never Wanted Nothing More

**A/N – Nothing to graphic but the kids are gonna hook up tonight…if that's not your thing you might want to skip this one…**

I took Katie down by the river

With a six dollar bottle of wine.

Just a fool tryin' to play it cool

Hopin' she'd let me cross the line.

I was prayin' that she couldn't tell,

I'd never been that far before.

The first time's a one time feelin,

And I never wanted nothin' more.

No, I never wanted nothin' more.

The ambulance came and took the boys to the hospital while the rest of us ran back to the house to get my car. Steve drove like a maniac back to the hospital...we had spent way too much time there recently.

Darry and Soda were coming out of the hospital as we ran towards the door.

"Their keeping him overnight for observation" Darry looked so tired, running a hand over his face and through his hair. "It's just a really high fever, and he'll be able to come home tomorrow but the staff has kicked us out. _All _of us." He looked pointedly at me. "They said we've been here way to much, nothings going to change tonight, and we're to go home and get some sleep."

We all nodded. "My cars here...I'll bring ya'll home."

When we got to the Curtis's house no one was ready to go home. Looking at the clock and seeing it was midnight I resolved myself to either sleeping on the coach tonight or driving home very, very late. We sat in the living room for the next few hours telling stories. Stories about Johnny and Dally, reliving the good times.

"Hey, remember that time that ole Dal was on the school bus with us..."

"Like the one time he came to school?" I asked smiling.

"Ya," Two-Bit grinned back at me. "And the bus driver got off the bus to go get a six pack and Dally stole the damn bus? Drove us all over town before he put that thing off a bridge...I think that was the last time that he went to school come to think of it!" We all laughed. Despite all the bad things that had happened to us, we had some good times together.

"I think it's time for me to get some sleep" Darry finally said "I have to go get the kid in the early afternoon." We all nodded in agreement, it had been a long week and everyone was drop dead tired.

As everyone got up and began getting themselves out of the house Soda came over and took my hand, "Can we talk? Please Ali?"

I nodded, I was tired but this had to end one way or another. I followed Soda into his bedroom, not missing the look we got from Darry but not caring at this point in the week.

We sat down on the bed and looked awkwardly at the floor for a moment. It had never been like this before, never been hard.

"Look Ali..." This was not what I wanted right now, not what I needed. I closed the gap between us, kissing him hard, my hands pressing against his chest.

"Whoa, Ali...I don't think..."

"Soda, it's been a long, bad week. Between Bob, the boys going missing, you, Johnny and now Dally...I feel numb...please, I just want to feel something."

This time Soda kissed me, his hands tangling in my hair, as he used his weight to press me onto my back. His tongue ran along my lower lip, begging entrance, I opened my lips allowing his tongue to tangle with my own, our kiss deepening.

We had been in this position a million times before, but I had never let it go any further, stopping before we got to that point of no return.

I reached out and grabbed the bottom of his shirt, my fingers skimming along the waistband of his pants causing him to gasp lightly. I tugged up on his shirt and he broke the kiss and sat up enough for me to get the shirt over his head before coming back down to capture my lips roughly.

Without breaking the kiss Soda pulled back enough to unbutton my shirt, each button leaving more skin exposed to his lips, his tongue as be began to kiss down the strip of skin left exposed, his mouth leaving a trail that felt like fire.

I pushed up on his shoulder getting him to move back so that I could slip my arms out of my shirt, Soda didn't waste anytime unhooking my bra and throwing it to the side.

I felt him capture my breast in his mouth, sucking lightly, his teeth racking against the sensitive flesh, my back arching in response. He continued his attentions on my neck and chest as I fumbled with his belt, pushing his pants down to his ankles so he could kick them off.

Soda sat up, undoing my jeans and sliding them down my legs and onto the floor. I could feel his hardness against my leg, my own excitement evident in the slickness between my legs, only a few thin pieces of cotton separating us now.

Soda kicked his own boxers to the floor, sliding my underwear off and tossing them to the side, sitting back on his haunches and looking at me for a moment, a dopy expression on his face.

"What?" I asked, a little uncomfortable.

"Your just so amazing." He said coming back down to kiss me, his arms wrapped around my back pulling me close...

**A/N – The song is Never Wanted Nothing More by Kenny Chesney. I know its on the short side…but its my first attempt at anything smutty and…well…a girl gets nervous with this sort of thing!**

**Unrelated side notes? The part with the bus? Real life. My father was a bit of a hellion until moms tamed him.**

**Also…after a long conversation about fighting with my "sons" today (students who aren't even 10 years younger then myself), I think I'm living in the outsiders. The answers they gave to why they fight seemed to be right out of the mouths of Two Bit and Steve…**


	18. Chapter 18 - Whistle

Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby

Let me know

Girl I'm gonna show you how to do it

And we start real slow

You just put your lips together

And you come real close

Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby

Here we go

The next morning I awoke in the Curtis house like I had so many times before. This time however, I was not on the couch, but in Soda's bed. I woke up in Soda's bed, with my head on his shoulder, our legs intertwined, his arm wrapped tight around my middle, his head resting atop mine.

As I lay there enjoying how warm he was and how wonderful he smelled, the night before came rushing back to me. We had sex. I had sex with Soda. Oddly, despite everything I had been taught all my life, and the decisions I always thought I would make, I was ok with this turn of events.

Even with everything that had happened recently, I loved Soda, and if I had learned nothing else during these last few weeks it was that life was short, and why wait?

Soda shifted in his sleep, tightening his grip on me. I looked up at him and began placing soft kisses along his jaw line. Soda stirred and gave me a sleepy smile.

"Hi" He looked a little embarrassed, waking up with me this way, it was kinda cute. He shifted so that we could see each other's eyes and placed his forehead against mine. "Hi"

"You already said that." I laughed.

"Well...I'm just a bit off my game this morning, I've never woken up naked next to a pretty girl before."

"No? Well I'm glad to hear that, it's not something I'm used to either."

"Waking up next to pretty naked girls?"

I smacked him on the chest. "No, waking up next to handsome naked boys."

"Any regrets?"

I smirked; I'd show him regrets. I pushed on his shoulder rolling him to his back as I slung my leg over him, straddling him as I laid kisses across his jaw line, down his throat to his chest.

As I scooted my way down his body I could feel his hardness as my intentions became clear. "Whoa" Soda said placing his hands on my shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"But...Darrys awake by now!"

"Then you better be quiet huh?"

I worked my way down his body, showering him with kisses as I went, dragging my nails along with insides of his thighs. I smiled at him one more time before taking him in my mouth, feeling his back arch and his hands tangle in my hair as I did...

xxx

Turns out staying quiet was a bit of a problem for Soda, and by the time I was done he had a pillow pressed over his face, both of us praying Darry hadn't heard.

I rolled off him and flopped down onto the bed smiling, pretty proud of myself. "What in the world did I do to deserve that?" Soda asked.

"I just wanted to try something new." I said with a shrug.

"Well, I certainly liked trying something new. All the new things we've tried have been worth trying again!" Soda rolled himself over on top of me, kissing my neck.

My stomach growled loudly, and I couldn't help but laugh as I pushed at his shoulder. "I need something to eat, you hungry?"

"Always! Let's go see if there's any cake." Soda jumped out of bed, grabbing his boxers, throwing me a pair along with a beater to put on. I pulled on the clothes, before Soda took my hand and led me out into the kitchen. I was not looking forward to seeing Darry, my outfit being a dead give away as to what had happened last night.

To my horror we walked into the kitchen where not only was Darry having his morning coffee, but Two-Bit and Steve were also sitting at the table with cake in front of them. The boys erupted into hoots and cheers, while Darry sat staring hard at his coffee mug, like it might burst into flames if he stared hard enough.

I put myself behind Soda, hiding my face in his back, embarrassed in front of these boys for the first time in my life.

"Cut the shit assholes." Soda said, moving farther into the kitchen to get us breakfast, leaving me exposed as he did.

"Man, nothing like that walk of shame outfit." Steve said looking me up and down. Before Soda was even able to turn around and say something I walked behind the boys and smacked them both as hard as I could upside the head.

"Hey!" They both yelled, reaching up to rub their heads.

"I didn't even say anything!" Two-Bit whined.

"Not yet, but you would have."

The boys all laughed and the tension was eased as we sat down to eat our breakfast. I couldn't help but notice however that Darry had still not looked up from his coffee cup.

**A/N – The song is "Whistle" by Flo Rider…yup, I got a bit crude. I need to get friends that are not 17-year-old boys…**

**I know it was short but it took a lot of ambition to even get this up…its spring break, be nice to me and I'll try and post more…**


	19. Chapter 19 - Papa Don't Preach

Papa I know you're going to be upset

'Cause I was always your little girl

But you should know by now

I'm not a baby

You always taught me right from wrong

I need your help, daddy please be strong

I may be young at heart

But I know what I'm saying

An hour later Soda had left for work and I headed into his bedroom to gather my things. As I walked by I glanced at the bed and noticed the blood stain on the sheets. While I was pretty sure Soda knew it was my first time that was still something I didn't want him to see. I began to strip the bed as Darry walked in, his large frame filling the doorway.

"Um...Alice?" He looked uncomfortable and I immediately felt bad for putting him in this position. He had never intended to be raising two boys, and this was likely another one of those situations that he was entirely unprepared to deal with. I rolled the sheets tighter in my arms, hoping that he had not seen the blood stain.

"Look Darry, I know what your going to say and..."

"No Alice, I don't think you do." Darry ran his hands through his hair, I couldn't tell if he was mad or not, something which was making me all the more nervous as I waited for him to continue. "What I'd really like to say to you right now is exactly what my parents would have said, that you two aren't married and your not old enough for the consequences of sex, and that you will not be having sex under my roof."

Darry took a deep breath, "But I don't feel like that's what I can say now. Soda works hard and contributes as much to this family as he can, this is as much my house as it is his. However, I will remind you, that you two idiots aren't married and you have your reputation to worry about, as well as your parents and older brother. If Matthew decides to kick Soda's ass I can't say that I won't help." He paused, obviously uncomfortable.

"Lastly, you two better be using protection. You need to finish school and go onto college, lord knows someone in this family needs to. Not only that but how in the world would you expect to pay for a baby? I can't support another kid." I was shocked, that was more then Darry generally said to me in a whole day.

"Darry, I promise you that we will be careful." I was hoping he wouldn't ask about last night, I wouldn't lie to Darry but was not relishing telling him that neither of us had stopped long enough for a condom. "and I'm not exactly going to run around school sharing our business, it'll be fine."

"Ya, well, these things have a way of getting around." Darry moved out of the doorway to go, turning back to look at me for a long moment, "but, I'm glad it's you not one of those trashy girls from the neighborhood. At least you won't break his heart."

Darry walked out of the room leaving me sitting alone on the bed, dirty sheets in my arms. Darry was right; we had been stupid last night. If I were pregnant I'd be sent away to one of those horrible girls homes and wouldn't get to keep the baby. I wanted to have kids someday, have a family, but now was not the time. I sighed getting up and heading into the basement to start the laundry.

**A/N – **Song is Papa Don't Preach by Madonna, doesn't fit 100% but it's the best I could do.

So I know its been awhile but the school year is slowly killing me and my sanity is graduating which is stressing me beyond belief. 5 reviews and I'll do another post, sorry for the shortness!


	20. Chapter 20 - Mean Girls

Mean girls, full of hate

Mean girls, just can't wait

Mean girls, take your date

That Monday in history we were watching a news program about Vietnam. At the time none of us really cared, people we knew really hadn't been drafted and almost everyone we knew was to young for the draft, what did this have to do with us anyways?

Add the news reel to the fact that we had less then a month to go until graduation and no one was paying any attention. The boys were throwing paper balls around the room while the girls gossiped or painted their nails. The teacher who was about 100 years old (aren't all history teachers?) was asleep at his desk, the dark along with the warm muggy May air having lulled him to sleep 10 minutes after the class had started.

Personally, I had spent the first part of class completing my science homework, I had recently decided that I wanted to be a nurse and had realized that this biology class might actually come in handy. Having completed that I was now amusing myself with drawing hearts in my notebook and day dreaming about Soda.

"Hi Alice" I looked over to see that Sandy had moved into the desk next to mine. I really hated this girl, she had been trying to get my boyfriend even before he was my boyfriend and that made me pretty annoyed.

"Hi Sandy." I tried really hard to not sound annoyed as all hell.

"I'm really sorry to hear about Johnny and Dally...I know how much those boys meant to you."

"Thanks Sandy, I really appreciate that" Maybe, this conversation wouldn't be all bad.

"When are the funerals?"

"They...um...we're going to bury them tomorrow morning, up at the highland cemetery if you'd like to come."

"How's the kid?"

"Pony's doing much better, he came home from the hospital on Saturday, it was just a fever, he's been sleeping a lot but he should be back to school after the funeral is over and done with." Sandy nodded, thinking.

"So...you and Soda...I heard that you two got back together this weekend?"

"Ya, we did, it was all just from the stress of everything that happened with Pony and Johnny. Everything's great again."

"Huh...that's funny..."

"Oh, how is that funny?" Great, she wasn't going to be nice after all.

"Well, it just seems funny to me that he was in such a rush to get back together with you after we slept together the other day...I thought I was better in bed then that...oh well. Have a great day!" Sandy gave me a nasty smile as she walked back to her friends, laughing as she took her seat.

I steeled myself, I couldn't let her see me upset, couldn't let her see me cry, that was exactly what she wanted. At the same time, I couldn't leave the room, that would be too obvious. Instead I simply stayed in my seat, willing the end of class to come faster.

I had never been more grateful for the dismissal bell in my life, I quickly gathered my things and left the room having to pass Sandy as I did so.

"Say hi to Soda for me." She smiled and I wanted to punch her in the face but instead I pushed on past her into the hallway, where I found Two-Bit by my locker.

"Hey, so I was thinking, let's ditch last period and go down to the DX, I'm over being here right now."

"Sure."

"What?!" He sputtered looking at me like I had two heads.

"I said sure." I said each word slowly, talking to him as if he was dumb.

"I know...you just never agree to skip class with me."

"I've had a bad day and going to gym class isn't going to make it any better." I slammed my locker closed, "So, let's get out of here."

Two-Bit nodded, grabbing my hand as we snuck out the front door without being seen. Once outside we jumped in his beat up old car and headed towards the DX.

xxx

I didn't say much on the way to the DX and I knew Two-Bit noticed, after a few failed attempts at making me laugh we rode in silence until we were almost there.

"Alice..." I turned to look at him expectantly. "Did Randy pull something today? Did someone say something about Johnny..."

"No, everything was fine today."

"Bullshit Ali, something's got you upset...what happened?"

I sighed; I had never been able to hide my emotions well. "I guess everything wasn't fine today...Sandy and I talked during history class."

"Well nothing that comes out of that girls mouth is ever good...what did she say?" I could tell by the look on his face that he probably already new, and hadn't been a good enough friend to tell me.

"I...I think you already know what she had to say Two-Bit."

Two-Bit rubbed his hands over his face and into his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Look, Ali, I know that he shouldn't have done that but he was hurtin, and I don't think that Steve and I encouraging him helped matters at all. Plus after we saw ya'll at the diner..."

"Doesn't excuse you for not telling me, I thought you were my friend."

"I am Ali, I just...it's hard being friends with both of you sometimes, look, maybe this is something you need to talk to him about, and sooner rather then later. Look what happened last time you waited to have this kinda conversation with him, things got way more out of control then they needed to."

By this time we had pulled up outside the DX, I nodded at Two-Bit as I climbed out of the car and headed into the station to find Soda.

**A/N – **The song is Mean Girls by Sugarland.

I got one review, totally deserved that for my pathetic post. Please review this time? I tried. Now, time to bake some paleo cookies, muffins and non paleo monkey bread while I cry over senior love notes some more…


End file.
